37/.  ££-; 


THE 

GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS 


'     INCLUDING 


A  FULL  EXPLANATION  OF  A  RATIONAL   PLAN  OF 
GRADING, 


WILLIAM  J.  SHEARER,  A.  M., 


Superintendent  of  Schools  of  the  City  of  Elizabeth  and  County  of  Union 

N.  y.,  and  author   of  "The   Lock-Step    in  the  Public 

Schools"  "Methods  of  Teaching  Patriotism   in 

Schools,"  "The  Examination  Grind,'"  Etc. 


THIBD  EDITION 


NEW  YORK : 

THE  H.  P.  SMITH  PCJBLISHING  Co. 
1899 


Copyright,  1898, 
By  WILLIAM  J.  SHEARER. 


LB 


LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
SANTA  BARBARA 


Co  tfye  33oys  anb  <5trls  of  tfye  public 
Schools, 

IN  THE  HOPE  THAT 

*.      IT  WILL  LEAD  TO  THE  ESTABLISHMENT  OF 
A  PLAN  OP  GBADING  WHICH  WILL 
LEAVE  EACH  PUPIL  FBEE 

TO  ADVANCE  ACCORDING  TO  ABILITY, 

THIS  BOOK  IS 
AFFECTIONATELY   DEDICATED. 


CONTENTS. 


Preface,  ...... 

I.     The  Ungraded  School, 
II.     The  Evolution  of  the  Graded  School, 

III.  The  Typical  Graded  School, 

IV.  Different  Class  Intervals,            .        .        . 
V.     The  Usual  Method  Condemned  by  Educa- 
tors,      

VI.      Unsuccessful    Attempts    to  Correct    the 
Defective  Grading,          .... 

VII.     Classification  of  Pupils, 
VIII.     Reclassification  of  Pupils, 
IX.     Promotion  of  Pupils,       .... 

$L.     Apportionment  of  Work,     .... 

XI.     Method  of  Securing  Thoroughness  in  Es- 
sentials,      ...... 

XII.     Means  of  Enlisting  the  Interest  of  Par- 
ents and  Pupils,      ..... 

XIII.  Location  and  Removal  of  Danger  Points 

in  Each  Grade,  .... 

XIV.  Number  of  Divisions  and  Basis  of  Classi- 

fication in  Each  Grade, 

XV.     Programs  for  Each  Grade,  .        ;        . 

XVI.     Means  of    Reaching  the  Individual  and 

Helping  the  Future  Teachers, 

XVII.     Beneficial  Results  of  a  Rational  Plan  of 
Grading,  .        .        .        .        .        . 

XVIII.     Testimony  of  Principals  and  Teachers, 
XIX.     Editorial  Endorsement,      .        .  . 

XX.     How    Any    Graded    School    May    Easily 

Adopt  a  Pliant  Plan  of  Grading,   . 
XXI.     The  Grading  of  the  Ungraded  School, 


PAGE. 

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11 

17 

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32 


40 


45 
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66 
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91 


.       98 

110 

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.     131 
140 

.     153 

162 

.     171 

183 

.     203 
209 


PREFACE. 


For  the  first  time  in  the  history  of  education, 
the  importance  of  securing  a  better  plan  of 
grading  the  schools  of  cities  and  towns  occupies 
the  prominent  place  in  educational  discussions  to 
which  it  has  long  been  entitled.  At  last  it  is 
realized  that,  of  all  the  difficult  problems  which 
confront  those  who  are  responsible  for  the 
organization  and  administration  of  the  schools,  no 
other  affects  more  vitally  the  present  and  future 
welfare  of  the  boys  and  girls  in  the  public  schools. 
!No  other  is  of  so  much  interest  to  parents  solicit- 
ous for  the  advancement  of  their  children.  ~No 
other  is  of  more  importance  to  principals  and 
teachers,  who  have  been  compelled  to  work  under 
the  mediaeval  plan,  which  has  long  since  outlived 
its  usefulness.  No  other  is  such  a  source  of 
worriment  to  wide-awake  superintendents  and 
members  of  boards  of  education,  who  realize  the 
fact  that  the  system  of  grading,  which  was  in- 


8  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

tended  to  faithfully  serve  the  children,  has  be- 
come their  tyrannical  master. 

Being  the  first  book  written  upon  this  impor- 
tant phase  of  school  organization,  no  apology  is 
offered  for  its  appearance.  However,  in  making 
this  contribution  to  educational  literature,  a  few 
words  of  explanation  will  not  be  out  of  place. 

When  years  ago  I  left  the  work  in  the  rural 
schools  and  accepted  a  position  in  a  system  of 
graded  schools,  I  was  greatly  impressed  with  the 
fact  that,  because  of  the  usual  plan  of  grading, 
there  was  serious  injury  done  to  many  pupils.  In 
the  rural  school,  pupils  possessing  the  ability  and 
determination  were  free  to  move  forward,  with- 
out dragging  others  with  them,  and  without 
being  held  back  by  those  who  either  did  not  have 
the  ability  to  move  more  rapidly  over  the  work, 
or  who  lacked  application.  ISTo  such  freedom  ex- 
isted in  the  graded  school,  where  all  were  expected 
to  move  at  the  same  rate  for  their  whole  school 
lives. 

In  the  hope  of  finding  a  more  flexible  plan  of 
grading,  diligent  search  was  made,  though  with- 
out discovering  a  plan  which  had  been  successful 
in  breaking  up  Procrustean  beds  of  grades.  Im- 
pressed with  the  importance  of  having  some  more 
rational  plan,  the  attempt  was  made  to  work  out, 
in  school,  a  method  which  would  make  it  easy  to 


PREFACE.  9 

regulate  tlie  pupil's  advancement  solely  upon  his 
own  ability  and  attainments,  rather  than  upon  the 
supposed  ability  of  the  mythical  average  pupil. 
A  method  was  gradually  evolved,  which,  without 
adding  to  the  expense  of  the  schools  or  to  the 
strain  upon  the  teacher,  gave  excellent  results. 

During  the  past  ten  years  this  plan  has  been 
discussed  in  educational  associations  and  educa- 
tional journals,  and  lately  a  brief  explanation  of 
the  method  was  given  in  the  "Atlantic  Monthly." 
Instead  of  satisfying,  this  seemed  only  to  have 
greatly  increased  the  interest  in  the  subject. 
The  leading  papers  of  the  United  States  have 
given  the  plan  the  strongest  editorial  indorsement. 
Kind  letters  and  searching  inquiries  have  poured 
in  from  earnest  superintendents,  principals, 
teachers  and  members  of  boards  of  education, 
from  every  part  of  this  country  and  Canada. 
These  proved  that  I  had  been  successful  in  my 
efforts  to  awaken  interest  in  this  important  ques- 
tion, but  had  not  succeeded  in  giving  a  clear  idea 
of  the  plan  which  had  given  results  much  desired 
by  all  thoughtful  educators.  Therefore,  in  answer 
to  several  hundred  requests,  the  promise  was 
made  that  a  fuller  explanation  would  be  given. 
Then,  the  intention  was  to  simply  expand  the 
previous  articles;  but  the  necessity  of  answering 
quite  fully  the  many  excellent  and  pertinent  ques- 


10  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

tions  required  a  much  fuller  discussion  of  princi- 
ples and  a  far  more  lengthy  explanation  than  was 
at  first  contemplated. 

Written  under  great  pressure,  a  page  or  two  at 
a  time,  long  after  the  day's  work  should  have  been 
laid  aside,  no  effort  has  been  made  to  attain  literary 
excellence;  so  that  upon  this  and  other  lines  there 
is  much  to  tax  the  patience  of  the  indulgent 
reader.  It  is  written  as  an  aid  to  those  who  are 
devoting  thought  and  study  to  this  subject,  and 
not  as  a  substitute  for  either. 

No  matter  what  the  reception  of  the  book  may 
be,  it  is  earnestly  hoped  that  it  will  prove  of  as- 
sistance to  my  earnest  co-laborers  who  are  trying 
to  break  away  from  unsatisfactory  methods,  that 
our  excellent  public  schools,  which  are  increasing 
in  efficiency  at  an  ever-increasing  rate,  may  even 
more  grandly  fulfill  their  heaven-born  mission. 

WILLIAM  J.  SHEARER. 

Elizabeth,  N.  J.,  Nov.  12,  1898. 


Chapter  L 


THE  UtfGBADED  SCHOOL. 

All  the  older  schools  seem  to  have  been  organ- 
ized in  about  the  same  way  and  to  have  been  un- 
graded. The  ungraded  school  is,  therefore,  the 
germinal  school  from  which  all  others  have  sprung. 
In  fact,  until  well  into  the  present  century,  all 
American  schools  were  practically  ungraded.  For 
this  and  other  reasons  a  consideration  of  the  un- 
graded school  cannot  fail  to  be  beneficial  as  a  prep- 
aration for  the  study  of  the  grading  of  schools. 

Characteristics — 

An  authority*  gives  the  following  as  the  prin- 
cipal peculiarities  of  the  ungraded  schools:  "In 
the  first  part  of  this  century — it  almost  seems 
like  ancient  history,  now  that  the  condi- 
tions everywhere  are  so  different — the  grading  of 
elementary  schools  was  a  thing  unknown  in  this 
country.  Instruction  was  almost  wholly  individ- 
ual. Whenever  a  pupil  chose  to  present  himself 

»J.  C.  Boykin. 


12  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

for  admission  into  school,  no  matter  at  what  time 
of  the  year,  he  was  received.  His  studies  were  de- 
termined by  the  books  he  brought.  His  first  lesson 
was  apt  to  follow  the  last  one  that  his  former 
teacher  had  given  him.  If  he  had  been  through 
Webster's  'Blue-back'  Speller  twice,  and  had  fin- 
ished the  last  column  of  the  tenth  page,  on  the 
third  round,  the  first  column  on  the  eleventh  page 
would  naturally  be  the  first  lesson  that  his  new 
teacher  would  give  him.  If  a  class  already  formed 
had  reached  just  that  point  he  was  put  into  that 
class.  Otherwise  he  would  probably  form  a  new 
class.  It  was  thus  by  no  means  uncommon  to  see 
a  dozen  or  more  classes  in  the  same  room  studying 
the  same  book,  but  at  a  dozen  or  more  stages  of  ad- 
vancement in  it;  and,  altogether,  a  teacher  with  a 
school  of  moderate  size,  containing  pupils  of  all 
ages,  sexes,  and  sizes,  might  easily  have  fifty  or 
sixty  classes.  Attend  to  them  all?  Certainly;  but 
what  attention!  The  little  fellows  received  but 
little  of  it;  especially  those  who  had  learned  to 
read.  Their  lessons  would  be  heard  every  few 
days.  The  teacher's  pet  classes  were  called  to  the 
recitation  bench  often;  and  his  favorite  subjects 
received  nearly  all  his  attention.  The  rest  of  the 
school  whiled  away  the  time  as  best  they  might. 
They  'did  their  sums'  on  their  slates,  or  droned  over 
their  'blue-backs,'  until  they  were  tired,  and  then 


THE  UNGRADED  SCHOOL.  13 

turned  their  attention  to  each  other  and  to  mischief, 
opportunities  for  which  frequently  appeared  in  the 
open  mouth  or  bare  soles  of  a  sleeping  pupil;  and 
such  opportunities  rarely  went  unimproved." 

We  see,  then,  that  instruction  was  almost  en- 
tirely individual  in  every  sense  of  the  word.  Each 
pupil's  lessons  were  not  only  determined  by  the 
books  he  happened  to  have,  but  each  one  studied 
what  he  pleased,  in  the  way  he  pleased,  and  as  long 
as  he  pleased.  The  school  was  really  modeled  after 
the  system  of  family  education  which  existed  in 
Europe  in  the  fifteenth  century. 
Advantages — 

In  *the  early  schools,  the  instruction  given 
was  generally  directed  to  one  pupil  at  a  time; 
therefore  it  could  always  be  suited  to  the  in- 
dividual. The  teacher  came  into  close  contact 
with  each  pupil,  and,  without  effort,  the  attention 
could  be  held  to  any  difficulty  presenting  itself. 
As  but  a  small  part  of  the  time  was  spent  in  recita- 
tion, all  the  lessons  could  be  prepared  in  school. 
Once  called  to  the  class,  the  pupil  could  not  escape. 
He  could  not  rely  upon  learning  the  lesson  by  hear- 
ing others  recite.  As  the  lessons  were  learned 
with  but  little  or  no  help  from  the  teacher,  "the  sys- 
tem favored  the  formation  of  habits  of  self-reliance 
and  independent  effort,  patience,  perseverance  and 
courageous  attack  of  difficulties.  The  boy  was 


14  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

compelled  to  depend  largely  upon  himself  and  to 
appeal  to  the  teacher  only  in  case  of  emergency. 
This  was  so  far  a  valuable  training,  not  only  for 
school,  but  for  after -life;  it  made  boys  manly;  it 
accustomed  them  to  the  use  of  their  own  strength; 
and  it  fostered  the  growth  of  originality  and  de- 
cision of  character,  of  thought,  and  of  speech. 
There  was  an  entire  absence  of  that  dead  level  of 
effort  so  common  in  schools  now."* 

May  this  not  account  for  the  fact  that  the  un- 
graded school  was  a  developer  of  genius,  and  had, 
for  the  few,  at  least,  some  important  advan- 
tages? Certain  it  is,  that  from  these  schools  have 
come  many  of  the  strongest  characters,  who  have 
easily  led  all  others  in  the  battle  for  supremacy. 
Disadvantages — 

Under  this  plan  there  was  no  saving  of  the 
teacher's  time  and  strength.  Time  and  again 
the  same  old  difficulties  had  to  be  met  and 
removed  for  each  pupil.  The  many  mistakes 
common  to  all  had  to  be  corrected  for  each  one 
separately.  Interesting  information  had  to  be 
given  as  many  times  as  there  were  scholars,  or,  as 
was  too  frequently  the  case,  omitted  altogether. 
The  larger  the  school  the  more  unsatisfactory  was 
the  work,  the  less  efficient  the  instruction,  the  less 
time  to  be  devoted  to  each  pupil,  and  the  harder 

*Landon. 


THE  UNGRADED  SCHOOL.  13 

the  discipline.  In  many  ways  the  pupils  wasted 
their  time.  With  reference  to  this  Landon  speaks 
as  follows:  "To  prevent  this  a  rigid  system  of 
harsh  punishments  was  carried  out.  The  insubor- 
dination 'was  kept  down  by  a  very  free  and  fre- 
quent use  of  the  lash.'  How  severe  the  discipline 
was  in  some  cases  may  be  gathered  from  Jean  Paul 
Bichter's  account  of  punishments  given  by  a  Sua- 
bian  school-master.  Small  faults  and  breaches  of 
minor  rules — such  as  talking — not  immoral  in 
themselves,  were  magnified  into  little  less  than 
crimes,  and  the  pupil's  notions  of  right  and  wrong 
thereby  confused.  The  discipline  was  merely  the 
result  of  personal  authority;  little  or  no  sympathy 
with  right  was  aroused,  or  respect  for  law  incul- 
cated. The  temporary  absence  of  the  master  was 
generally  the  signal  for  a  scene  of  riot  and  con- 
fusion. Speaking  of  the  French  schools,  Willm  says: 
'There  generally  existed  between  the  instructor 
and  his  pretended  pupils  the  same  relation  and 
sympathy  as  among  a  gang  of  rebellious  slaves  and 
their  overseer;  with  but  few  exceptions,  both  master 
and  scholars  sighed  for  the  moment  when  the  labor 
of  each  should  end.  On  escaping  from  school,  the 
greater  part  of  the  children,  shaking  off  the  dust 
of  the  blows  and  lessons  they  had  received,  rushed 
back  in  some  measure  to  a  state  of  nature  and 
liberty.'  In  class  teaching  one  secret  of  success  is 


16  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

to  make  the  quick  and  intelligent  boys  a  means  of 
benefiting  the  rest;  even  their  mistakes  are  often 
useful.  Stimulated  by  their  example  and  success, 
the  dull  ones  put  forth  their  best  efforts,  and  fre- 
quently astonish  even  themselves.  The  individual 
plan  forfeited  all  gain  of  this  kind,  and  there  was 
an  entire  absence  of  that  spirit  of  class  emulation 
which  a  good  teacher  knows  how  to  make  the  most 
of.  The  system,  in  fact,  favored  those  who  were 
strong,  quick,  and  industriously  inclined,  but  de- 
pressed and  disheartened  the  weak  and  slow.  The 
dullness,  weariness,  and  want  of  spirit  and  variety 
in  the  work  were  very  marked;  and,  except  while 
saying  lessons,  there  was  no  change  of  posture  or  of 
place.  To-day  was  but  as  yesterday,  to-morrow 
like  to-day;  it  was  one  dull,  heavy  round  of 
routine." 


Chapter  II. 


EVOLUTION  OF  THE  GRADED  SCHOOL. 

The  first  step  toward  the  graded  school  was  made 
possible  when  the  number  of  pupils  increased  so 
that  several  could  recite  together  in  certain 
branches. 

A  second  step  still  further  simplified  matters,  by 
confining  all  to  a  definite  course  of  study.  This 
did  away  with  much  aimless  teaching  and  study, 
saved  a  great  amount  of  useless  repetition  and  much 
time  for  both  teacher  and  pupils.  This  method 
represents  the  best  type  of  rural  school  at  the  pres- 
ent time.  While  it  is  a  great  advance  over  the 
primitive  ungraded  school,  yet  a  lack  of  proper 
classification  and  of  sufficient  time  to  devote  to  the 
many  classes  prevents  the  progress  which  is  desir- 
able. An  increase  in  the  number  of  pupils  makes 
possible  a  better  classification;  but  the  time  which 
can  be  spent  with  each  class  is  too  short  for  the 
accomplishment  of  good  work. 

A  third  step  toward  a  proper  plan  of  grading  was 


18  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

taken  when  the  number  of  pupils  increased  suffi- 
ciently to  warrant  the  employment  of  two  or  more 
teachers.  Then,  for  the  first  time,  was  possible  a 
division  of  labor.  The  classification  and  grading 
of  schools  is  but  the  application  to  education  of  the 
same  law  of  division  of  labor  that  prevails  in  every 
successful  business.  It  is  not  only  the  most  eco- 
nomical way,  but  it  is  a  prerequisite  to  satisfactory 
progress  upon  any  line. 

In  the  most  primitive  state  of  society,  each  does 
all.  But  long  before  man  emerges  from  the  savage 
state  the  division  of  labor  receives  some  recogni- 
tion, and,  very  early  in  the  history  of  civilization, 
it  is  recognized  as  a  necessary  condition  to  human 
progress.  As  society  advances,  each  takes  up  the 
work  for  which  he  is  best  fitted  by  endowment  and 
education,  and  trades  and  professions  result.  As 
society  grows  more  complex,  each  gives  special  at- 
tention to  that  part  of  his  work  for  which  he  is  best 
suited;  and  thus  we  have  specialists  in  every  occu- 
pation. We  see,  then,  that  as  division  of  labor  is 
an  indispensable  condition  to  success  in  material 
things,  so  division  of  labor  in  educational  matters 
is  but  the  result  of  necessary  obedience  to  the  uni- 
versal law  of  progress.  The  teacher's  time  and 
talents  being  concentrated  upon  certain  work,  it 
becomes  easier  by  repetition,  and,  therefore,  is 
likely  to  be  performed  more  efficiently. 


EVOLUTION  OF  THE  GRADED  SCHOOL.  19 

A  fourth  step  toward  the  graded  school  was 
taken  when  the  number  of  pupils'  attending  the 
schools  of  a  district  increased  so  as  to  justify  the 
employment  of  eight  or  ten  teachers.  This  desired 
end  was  often  reached  by  the  union  of  schools, 
where  such  union  was  feasible.  The  course  of 
study  was  then  divided  into  a  series  of  ascending 
steps,  each  preparatory  to  the  next  higher.  The 
teachers  were  assigned  definite  portions  over  which 
they  were  expected  to  take  their  pupils  during  the 
year.  Under  such  conditions  the  pupils  could  be 
closely  classified,  and  those  about  equal  in  ability 
and  attainments  could  be  instructed  together. 
Only  by  doing  this  can  we  have  a  graded  school 
system  such  as  we  now  understand  by  that  term. 
The  greater  the  degree  of  differentiation  the  higher 
the  type  of  organization.  Herein  lies  the  superior- 
ity of  the  graded  school  over  the  ungraded  school, 
in  which  there  can  be  no  differentiation.  At  this 
point,  also,  is  found  the  greatest  weakness  of  the 
graded  school,  for  in  it  the  degree  of  differentiation 
is  less  than  it  should  be  and  can  easily  be  made. 
Therefore,  the  way  to  correct  the  defective  grading 
is  to  grade  more  closely. 

THE  FIRST  GRADED  SCHOOL. 
The  first  graded  school  was  established  in  1537, 
by  John  Sturm,  at    Strasburg.     More   than   any 


20  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

other,  it  has  had  a  vital  influence  upon  the  schools 
from  that  time  to  the  present.  This  school,  which 
was  organized  as  a  gymnasium,  was  recognized  as  a 
college  in  1567  and  as  a  university  in  1621.  The 
pupils  were  expected  to  spend  a  year  in  each  one  of 
the  nine  classes,  each  class  having  its  own  teacher, 
its  regular  course  of  study,  and  its  examination  for 
promotion,  about  as  in  the  graded  schools  of  to-day 
which  have  not  broken  away  from  these  mediaeval 
methods.  Sturm  not  only  apportioned  a  certain 
amount  of  work  to  be  accomplished  in  a  given  time, 
as  nearly  all  do  now,  but  he  even  "forbade 
them  to  learn  anything  else."  These  ideas  of  his 
were  transmitted  from  the  sixteenth  century  to  the 
nineteenth  by  means  of  the  Jesuit  schools  and  the 
secondary  schools  of  Continental  Europe. 

THE  FIRST  AMERICAN  GRADED  SCHOOL. 

About  1835  great  interest  was  shown  in  the 
schools  of  this  country.  The  need  of  some  change 
in  the  plan  of  classification  was  everywhere  appar- 
ent, but  what  the  change  should  be  none  seemed 
willing  to  say.  For  a  time,  the  only  classification 
which  seemed  feasible  was  a  rough  grouping  into 
three  departments,  each  taught  by  a  single  teacher. 
Though  this  proved  unsatisfactory,  because  pupils 
could  not  be  properly  classified,  there  were  some 
who  still  advocated  the  placing  of  the  pupils  of  an 


EVOLUTION  OF  THE  GRADED  SCHOOL.  21 

ungraded  school  in  three  divisions,  to  be  taught  by 
one  teacher.  Later,  union  schools  were  formed  by 
the  consolidation  of  several  schools.  Experience 
with  these  showed  their  advantages,  and,  at  the 
same  time,  proved  that  a  division  into  only  three 
groups  was  not  sufficient  to  properly  provide  for 
the  important  differences  in  the  ability  of  pupils  to 
do  the  work  assigned.  It  also  made  plain  the  fact 
that,  as  the  number  of  pupils  increased,  the  possi- 
bility of  more  accurate  grading  was  greatly  im- 
proved. In  spite  of  this  fact,  it  was  not  until  1847 
that  John  Philbrick  worked  out  the  details  of  the 
first  graded  school  in  this  country.  Gradually 
others  adopted  the  plan,  and  by  1860  the  schools  of 
most  of  the  cities  and  large  towns  were  graded. 
By  1870  the  pendulum  had  swung  from  no  system 
to  nothing  but  system. 

We  see,  then,  that  the  American  graded  school 
was  not  transplanted  from  abroad,  but  that  it  is 
the  result  of  a  growth,  which  has  continued  for 
years  in  our  own  country;  yet  the  graded  school,  as 
it  is  generally  found,  differs  but  little,  in  manner 
of  grading  and  promoting,  from  the  first  graded 
school  founded  by  Sturm  three  hundred  and  sixty- 
one  years  ago.  Is  it  not  to  be  wondered  at,  that  for 
so  long  a  time  we  have  been  satisfied  with  this  medi- 
aeval plan  of  grading,  while  on  other  lines  there 
has  been  so  much  progress? 


Chapter  EL 


THE  TYPICAL  GKADED  SCHOOL. 

Characteristics — 

In  the  graded  school  the  pupils  are  roughly 
classified  according  to  their  supposed  ability  to  do 
the  work  of  a  given  year;  and  each  class  is  placed 
in  charge  of  a  teacher,  who  is  expected  to  give  the 
same  lessons  to  all  members.  Each  teacher  has  a 
separate  room,  and  over  the  teachers  of  a  building 
is  generally  placed  a  principal,  who  has  the  over- 
sight of  the  schools  in  the  building.  When  the 
number  of  schools  increases  sufficiently  to  warrant 
the  step,  a  superintendent  is  placed  over  all  the 
schools  of  the  system.  The  course  of  study  is 
divided  arbitrarily  into  a  number  of  parts,  each  sup- 
posed to  contain  enough  work  to  keep  the  pupils 
busy  for  one  year.  The  effort  is  made  to  have  all 
accomplish  the  same  work,  in  the  same  way,  in  the 
same  time,  and  be  ready  for  an  examination,  that 


THE  TYPICAL  GRADED  SCHOOL.  23 

all  may  be  promoted  at  the  time  fixed  by  the  super- 
intendent or  by  the  Board  of  Education. 

Advantages — 

As  has  been  pointed  out,  the  graded  school 
merely  applies  the  law  of  the  division  of  labor  to 
education,  and  is,  therefore,  advantageous  for  many 
reasons.  Far  better  than  the  ungraded  school,  it 
measures  up  to  the  important  requirement  of  the 
greatest  good  to  the  greatest  number,  in  the  short- 
est time,  at  the  least  expense.  It  also  gives  the 
many  and  important  advantages  of  the  class  recita- 
tion. 

.* 

Disadvantages — 

Though  experience  with  pupils  from  private 
schools  must  convince  all  that  the  American  graded 
school  is  equalled  by  no  other,  and  although  each 
year  it  is  increasing  in  efficiency  and  power;  yet  it 
is  useless  to  deny  that  this  method  of  grading  and 
promoting,  which  binds  together  the  bright  and  the 
dull,  is  responsible  for  a  number  of  serious  defects, 
•which  the  friends  of  the  schools  should  clearly  see, 
in  order  that  they  may  quickly  correct  them. 

Usual  Plan  J^ot  Flexible.  Though  the  graded 
school  has  many  advantages,  we  should  not  close 
our  eyes  to  the  fact  that  it  is  open  to  the  serious 
charge  that  it  does  not  properly  provide  for  the  in- 
dividual differences  of  the  pupils;  that  it  is  not 


24  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

sufficiently  pliant  to  accommodate  itself  to  the 
pupils,  but  demands  that  the  pupils  accommodate 
themselves  to  it ;  and  that  that  grading,  which  was 
intended  to  serve  the  children,  has  now  become 
their  cruel  master. 

Teachers,  Classes  and  Pupils  Differ.  All  must 
admit  that  teachers  vary  greatly  in  knowledge, 
power,  skill,  and  in  other  particulars  affecting  their 
efficiency.  Every  experienced  teacher  knows  that 
classes  differ  in  their  ability  to  accomplish  a  given 
amount  of  work.  No  one  dares  deny  that  the 
children  of  every  grade  differ  widely  in  age,  in  ac- 
quirements, in  aptitude,  in  physical  endurance,  in 
power  of  attention,  in  home  advantages,  in  the  rate 
of  mental  development,  in  the  time  of  entering 
school,  in  regularity  of  attendance,  and  in  many 
other  ways  affecting  their  progress. 

Pupils  Kept  in  Intellectual  Lock-Step.  Because 
of  the  manner  of  grading  and  promoting,  the 
graded  school  of  to-day  keeps  all  the  children  of 
each  grade  in  intellectual  lock-step,  not  only  month 
after  month,  but  year  after  year,  for  their  whole 
school  lives.  Children  are  not  alike,  then,  in  ability 
or  in  any  other  wav,  and  God  never  intended  they 
should  be  made  alike.  Why  then  should  we  put 
them  into  "educational  mills,"  and  attempt  to  grind 
them  out  alike,  crushing  out  that  individuality 
which  He  meant  should  be  a  guide  to  their  educa- 


THE  TYPICAL  GRADED  SCHOOL.  25 

tion  and  usefulness,  and  not  a  hindrance  thereto? 
Is  there  any  reason  why  we  should  labor  to  produce 
uniformity  of  tastes,  of  character,  of  ability,  of 
aspirations?  Is  not  individuality  of  more  import- 
ance than  evenness  of  grading?  Is  it  not  the  di- 
vinity of  the  child?  Should  it  not  be  sought  for 
and  discovered,  that  it  may  be  carefully  studied  and 
lovingly  guarded?  Does  not  biography  teach  us 
that  only  those  have  become  distinguished  who 
have  developed  a  love  for  work  along  particular 
lines?  Is  it  not  time  that  we  cease  condemning 
the  teachers  because,  in  spite  of  all  the  mentioned 
differences,  and  many  others  unmentioned,  but  not 
undiscovered,  they  cannot  produce  symmetrical 
nonentities?  Must  the  poor  teachers,  limited  in 
power  and  by  conditions,  be  criticized  because  they 
cannot  overcome  the  differences  in  ability  pre- 
determined by  the  Almighty? 

Method  of  Grading  the  Work  Defective.  That 
the  marked  differences  in  children,  in  classes,  and 
in  teachers,  are  not  properly  provided  for,  either  in 
the  amount  and  character  of  the  work  required,  or 
in  the  time  to  be  spent  upon  the  work,  is  readily 
seen,  when  we  consider  the  usual  method  of  grad- 
ing and  promoting.  The  course  of  study  for  the 
graded  school  is  divided  arbitrarily  into  a  number 
of  grades,  generally  a  year  apart,  and  the  work  for 


26  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

each  grade  is  laid  out  for  the  bright,  the  slow,  or 
the  average. 

Many  schools  grade  the  work  for  the  bright.  In 
this  case,  all  the  rest  are  dragged  over  far  more 
work  than  they  can  understand.  Therefore,  many 
soon  become  discouraged  and  drop  out  of  school. 

Though  not  generally  acknowledged,  yet  in  real- 
ity, the  courses  of  study  in  most  schools  are  graded 
for  the  slower  pupils.  This  is  certainly  an  outrage 
on  the  large  majority  of  pupils  who  can  and  should 
go  forward  more  rapidly.  ISTot  only  is  the  progress 
of  all  kept  down  to  the  pace  of  these  slower  ones, 
but,  worse  than  this,  the  majority  of  the  pupils  are 
drilled  into  habits  of  inattention  and  idleness.  So 
long  has  this  continued,  that  many  teachers  have 
come  to  believe  that  pupils  do  not  differ  materially 
in  their  ability  to  cover  the  course.  However, 
there  are  thousands  of  earnest  teachers  who  realize 
the  great  injury  done  the  pupils  by  such  a  method 
of  stifling  talent. 

But  by  far  the  largest  number  of  schools  are 
supposed  to  be  graded  for  the  "average  pupil."  At 
first  sight  this  looks  reasonable;  but,  could  anything 
be  more  absurd?  Surely  it  would  be  just  as  sensi- 
ble to  say,  that,  as  the  pupils  in  a  certain  grade  vary 
in  height  from  three  feet  six  inches,  to  four  feet 
four  inches;  and  as  they  now  average  four  feet,  and 
by  the  end  of  the  year  should  average  four  feet  one 


THE  TYPICAL  GRADED  SCHOOL.  27 

inch,  those  naturally  tall  must  gradually  be  com- 
pressed, and  those  naturally  short  must  go  through 
a  stretching  process,  so  that  all  may  come  up  to  the 
desired  average.  What  a  grand  system  this  would 
be  for  the  physical  development  of  the  children! 
Surely  such  a  method  would  have  a  still  more 
blighting  effect  upon  their  mental  development. 
The  truth  is,  that,  neglecting  the  ever  present  indi- 
vidual pupil  of  Hesh  and  blood,  of  soul  and  life,  and 
infinite  possibility,  the  attempt  has  been  made  to 
reach  all,  by  shaping  the  work  for  the  mythical 
'•'average  pupil." 

Asihe  course  of  study  is  nailed  to  the  calendar, 
when  the  sign  is  right,  and  the  sun  has  reached  a 
certain  altitude  in  the  heavens,  and  the  thermome- 
ter is  "ninety-five  in  the  shade,"  and  the  pupils' 
energy  is  nearest  zero,  all  are  subjected  to  a  useless 
examination,  which  the  lucky  pass,  while  the  rest 
lose  a  year,  or  leave  school.  Thus,  year  after  year, 
in  chain  gangs,  are  the  bright  and  the  slow  bound 
and  forced  to  move  at  the  same  pace  for  their  whole 
school  lives. 

The  Bright  Pupils  Ruined.  The  effect  of  such 
methods  on  the  bright  children  is  most  disastrous; 
for  it  injures  them  greatly,  both  mentally  and 
morally,  to  hold  them  down  to  the  pace  of  the 
slower  ones.  Who  would  work  the  mettlesome 
racer  with  the  heavy  draught  horse  and  not  expect 


28  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

it  to  end  the  usefulness  of  the  racer?  What  man 
of  spirit  could  long  bear  to  walk  in  step  with  a 
child,  if  he  felt  the  need  of  arriving  at  his  destina- 
tion quickly? 

The  Slower  Pupils  Are  Injured.  Regardless  of 
thoroughness,  the  dull  are  rushed  over  the  work. 
They  fall  behind,  stumble  for  a  time  at  the  foot  of 
the  class,  then,  misunderstood,  unappreciated  and 
discouraged,  drop  out  of  school,  or  are  quietly 
obliged  to  leave  lest  "they  bring  down  the  examin- 
ation average."  What  teacher  has  not  seen  such 
pupils  drop  out  of  school,  having  lost  all  interest  in 
life?  Sad  it  is  that  they  have  lost  the  confidence 
of  their  teachers.  Sadder  still  that  they  should  no 
longer  be  encouraged  by  the  confidence  of  their 
parents.  But  infinitely  more  are  such  pupils  to  be 
pitied,  because  they  have  lost  all  confidence  in  their 
own  abilities.  Almost  certain  are  they  to  become 
lost  characters.  Yet,  the  most  of  them  could  have 
been  saved,  if  only  they  could  have  been  permitted 
to  go  at  the  pace  that  the  Almightly  intended  they 
should,  instead  of  being  obliged  to  go  at  the  rate 
that  some  Board  of  Education  had  fixed.  Why 
should  any  one  wonder  that  the  most  of  these  leave 
school  ?  Is  it  not  time  that  an  effort  be  made  to  suit 
the  pace  to  them,  instead  of  forcing  them  into  an 
unnatural  gait? 

But  Few  Gain  Time.     Under  the  present  system 


THE  TYPICAL  GRADED  SCHOOL.  29 

even  the  brightest  cannot  gain  time;  while  if  any 
but  the  brightest  lose  time  they  fail  to  be  pro- 
moted, and  so  lose  a  whole  year,  when  in  fact  they 
are  but  a  month  or  two  behind  with  their  work. 
Statistics  show  that  less  than  one  per  cent  of  the 
pupils  can  successfully  skip  the  work  of  a  whole 
year.  It  is  generally  asserted  that  not  more  than 
twenty  per  cent  of  the  pupils  fail  to  be  promoted, 
yet  the  statistics  of  certain  cities  show  that  not  less 
than  from  thirty-five  to  fifty  per  cent  of  those  re- 
maining at  the  end  of  the  year  failed.  Some  claim 
that  those  who  fail  do  better  work  the  following 
year,  but  statistics  show  that  the  large  majority  of 
the  pupils  do  not  return  to  school,  and  but  few  of 
those  wno  do  return  do  good  work. 

Pupils  Lose  Much  Time.  Statistics  from  many 
cities  prove  that  eighty  per  cent  of  the  pupils  lose 
from  one  to  four  years;  and,  for  every  one  hundred 
pupils  in  the  schools  investigated,  there  had  been 
from  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  to  three  hundred 
and  seventy  years  lost.  These  statistics  were  gath- 
ered in  distant  cities  of  different  states.  The  fol- 
lowing figures  show  the  loss  per  one  hundred  pupils, 
in  different  schools:  One  hundred  and  twenty- 
five,  one  hundred  and  sixty-six,  one  hundred  and 
seventy-five,  two  hundred,  two  hundred  and  twen- 
ty-five, two  hundred  and  thirty-three,  two  hundred 
and  thirty-seven,  two  hundred  and  fifty,  three  huri- 


30  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

died  and  forty-eight,  three  hundred  and  seventy- 
two  years. 

The  above  facts  are  conclusive  proofs  of  the  as- 
sertion that,  under  the  usual  plan,  it  is  very  easy  to 
lose  time  and  exceedingly  hard  to  gain  it. 

The  gain  of  time  would  not  be  worthy  of  consid- 
eration but  for  the  fact  that,  as  the  work  is  graded 
for  the  slower  pupils,  there  is  not  sufficient  work  to 
keep  the  rest  interested  and  busy.  It  would  be 
difficult  to  find  a  course  of  study  which  the  brighter 
pupils  could  not  easily  finish  in  from  one  to  three 
years  less  time  than  is  allotted. 

Injury  to  the  Pupils.  It  is  very  injurious  to 
place  pupils  with  those  of  unequal  ability;  it  is  little 
less  than  criminal  to  compel  them  to  walk  in  intel- 
lectual lock-step  with  such  for  months  and  years; 
it  is  an  outrage  to  constantly  goad  children,  to 
hurry  forward  the  slow  or  to  hold  back  the  bright; 
and  to  force  many  out  of  school,  after  having  de- 
stroyed their  self-confidence  and  condemned  them 
to  lives  of  ignorance,  if  not  worse,  is  barbarism  such 
as  should  not  be  permitted  in  the  latter  part  of  the 
nineteenth  century. 

A  Demand  for  a  Better  System.  Is  it  any  won- 
der that  this  ironclad  system  of  grading — which, 
regardless  of  all  differences,  would  cast  all  minds 
in  the  same  mould,  and  subject  all  to  the  same 
treatment,  for  the  same  length  of  time,  and  test  all 


THE  TYPICAL  GRADED  SCHOOL.  31 

in  the  same  way  at  the  same  time — is  objected  to, 
because  it  demands  so  much  uniformity  at  everv 
step  that  the  majority  are  forced  to  leave  school, 
while  those  who  do  graduate,  finish  too  late  to  get  a 
fair  start  in  life?  Is  it  any  wonder,  then,  that 
from  all  sides  there  comes  a  demand  for  some  sys- 
tem of  grading  which  will  be  more  pliant,  and 
which  will  not  attempt  to  overcome,  not  only  the 
differences  of  physical  ability  and  physical  environ- 
ments, but  even  the  differences  in  mental  capacity? 
Is  it  any  wonder  that  on  all  sides  thoughtful  educa- 
tors are  studying  this  problem  as  never  before,  and 
are  planning  to  strangle  this  demon  of  uniformity, 
which  cjits  short  the  school  life  of  the  majority,  and 
menaces  the  intellectual  life  of  every  boy  and  girl 
in  the  graded  schools? 


Chapter  IV. 


DIFFERENT  CLASS  INTERVALS. 

As  the  class  interval  has  a  powerful  influence  in 
determining  the  method  of  grading,  it  is  important 
that  the  characteristics,  advantages  and  disadvan- 
tages of  the  several  class  intervals  should  be  clearly 
comprehended  by  all  who  are  considering  a  change 
in  the  method  of  grading. 

THE  YEAR  INTERVAL. 

Formerly,  with  but  few  exceptions,  all  the  schools 
had  the  year  interval  between  classes,  it  having 
been  thus  arranged  to  correspond  with  that  of  the 
colleges. 

Characteristics — 

Under  this  plan  the  classes  were  a  year  apart. 
The  course  of  study  was  divided  into  the  same  num- 
ber of  parts  as  there  were  years  in  the  course,  and 
each  portion  assigned  to  a  given  year.  Each  year 
the  pupils  took  up  the  work  apportioned  for  the 


DIFFERENT  CLASS  INTERVALS.  33 

year  for  which  they  were  supposed  to  be  prepared, 
and  spent  the  whole  year  on  the  work,  though 
many  could  easily  have  finished  the  work  in  half 
the  time.  Change  to  a  higher  class  came  only  at 
the  end  of  the  year,  except  in  those  instances  where 
it  was  found  that  pupils  had  not  been  properly 
placed.  In  speaking  of  methods  of  promotion, 
Picard  says:  "One  method  of  administration  places 
the  several  grades,  as  it  were,  in  a  series  of  rooms 
adjoining,  but  separated  by  a  wall  in  which  is  a 
closed  door.  Once  a  year  this  door  is  opened  for 
the  passage  of  those  who  are  provided  with  cards 
bearing'  the  requisite  percentage  marks,  and  then 
closed  for  another  year.  They  are  not  lured  up- 
ward and  onward.  They  are  goaded  by  the  dread 
of  continuance  for  another  year  in  the  room  which 
has  lost  all  of  its  attractions  for  them.  Wise  super- 
vision has  succeeded  in  opening  the  doors  more  fre- 
quently. Wiser  supervision  has  rested  less  upon 
cards  of  admission  bearing  percentage  marks,  and 
more  upon  cards  of  merit  obtained  from  watchful 
and  loving  teachers.  Wisest  supervision  has  re- 
moved the  doors  entirely,  so  that  constantly  a 
stream  of  influence  flows  downward,  arousing  a 
healthy  ambition,  inspiring  self-activity  and  fur- 
nishing a  worthy  motive  for  advance;  and,  in  re- 
sponse to  this  influence,  there  is  a  steady  movement 
of  pupils  upward." 


34  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

Advantages — 

It  is  only  reasonable  to  presume  that  the  year  in- 
terval, which  was  almost  universally  used,  had  some 
manifest  advantages  other  than  that  it  was  pre- 
ferred by  the  colleges  and  most  of  those  in  charge 
of  the  schools.  Yet,  sad  to  relate,  the  only  im- 
portant advantage  which  has  been  claimed  by  the 
friends  of  the  year  interval  is,  that  it  is  easily  man- 
aged. That  such  is  the  case  all  will  agree;  for  it 
practically  runs  itself.  Only  once  each  year  is  it 
necessary  for  superintendent  and  principal  to  give 
attention  to  classification  and  promotion  of  pupils, 
therefore  it  is  certainly  most  convenient  for  those 
who  must  look  after  these  important  matters. 
Then,  again,  it  is  perhaps  easier  for  the  teacher, 
who,  by  holding  all  in  one  class,  can  get  along  with 
fewer  recitations  than  if  the  pupils  were  divided 
into  two  or  more  classes,  which  is  generally  done  in 
those  schools  having  the  shorter  interval. 

In  reality,  these  are  the  only  advantages  which 
can  properly  be  claimed  as  peculiar  to  the  year  in- 
terval. As  these  claims  are  purely  selfish,  they 
should  not  be  considered;  for  the  schools  are  for 
the  children,  and  not  for  superintendent,  principals 
and  teachers.  One  advantage  sometimes  claimed 
for  this  plan  is  that  under  it  pupils  will  not  need  to 
change  teachers  more  than  once  each  year.  While 
it  is  generally  admitted  that,  in  some  respects,  it  is 


DIFFERENT  CLASS  INTERVALS.  35 

best  for  pupils  to  remain  a  year  with  each  teacher, 
this  same  end  may  be  reached  under  other  methods, 
and  is,  therefore,  not  peculiar  to  this  plan. 

Disadvantages — 

The  greatest  objection  to  the  year  interval  is 
that,  under  this  plan,  it  is  almost  impossible  to  re- 
classify  pupils  during  the  year,  even  though  super- 
intendent, principal  and  teachers  realize  its  import- 
ance and  endeavor  to  make  it  possible.  Some  as- 
sert that  a  few  of  the  pupils  are  reclassified  under 
the  year  interval;  but  these  scholars  are  generally 
those  who  were  not  properly  placed  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  year.  If  sufficient  work  is  apportioned 
to  each  grade,  pupils  cannot  skip  the  work  of  an 
entire  year  without  great  loss.  Statistics  prove 
that,  under  this  plan,  not  one  in  a  hundred  pupils 
tries  to  do  so;  and  the  majority  of  those  who  do 
try  lose  the  time  later.  Discouraged  because  of 
enemies  in  the  rear,  they  flounder  at  the  foot  of  the 
class,  until  they  voluntarily  leave  school  or  are 
quietly  obliged  to  stop.  Those  unfortunate  ones, 
who,  because  of  absence,  or  for  other  reasons,  fall 
a  short  distance  behind  their  classmates,  must 
stumble  along  at  the  foot  of  the  class  until  the  end 
of  the  year.  Failing  to  be  promoted,  they  must 
spend  a  year  upon  unprofitable,  lifeless  reviews,  to 
escape  which  a  great  many  leave  school.  It  is  very 


30  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

easy  to  lose  a  year,  but  almost  impossible  to  gain 
one.  In  a  later  chapter  the  importance  of  reclassi- 
fication  will  be  emphasized  and  attention  called  to 
the  fact  that  frequent  reclassification  is  an  absolute 
necessity  to  the  existence  of  any  flexible  method  of 
grading.  In  a  previous  chapter,  some  of  the  de- 
fects of  the  typical  graded  school  have  been  men- 
tioned. The  most  of  these  defects  are  the  result 
of  the  failure  to  make  possible  the  reclassification 
of  pupils  at  any  time  when  their  best  interests  de- 
mand a  change  of  work. 

HALF-YEAR  INTERVAL. 

Very  few  educationalists  now  advocate  or  de- 
fend the  year  interval,  as  generally  managed. 
Though  the  large  majority  of  schools  still  have  the 
longer  interval,  many  have  turned  for  relief  to  the 
half-year  interval. 

Characteristics — 

With  the  half-year  interval,  the  pupils  in  each 
room  are  generally  separated  into  two  classes  a  half 
year  apart.  The  course  of  study  is  divided  into 
twice  as  many  parts  as  under  the  usual  plan,  and 
there  are  regular  promotions  twice  each  year.  In 
other  ways  it  differs  but  little  from  the  usual 
method. 


DIFFERENT  CLASS  INTERVALS.  37 

Advantages — 

In  theory,  at  least,  the  half-year  interval  is  an 
improvement  over  the  longer  interval.  It  is  easier 
for  scholars  to  skip  a  half-year's  work  than  it  is 
for  them  to  omit  the  work  of  an  entire  year. 
Therefore  it  is  easier  for  pupils  to  pass  from  one 
class  to  a  higher  one,  unless  prevented  by  promo- 
tion examinations  or  other  arbitrary  regulations, 
which  tend  to  make  it  difficult  for  teachers  to 
classify  their  pupils  in  such  a  way  that  they  may 
keep  them  busy  on  suitable  work.  Under  this 
plan  less  time  will  be  lost  by  the  pupils,  for  the 
reason  that  failure  to  be  promoted  means  the  loss 
of  but  one-half  a  year  in  place  of  a  year. 

i 
Disadvantages — 

Although,  for  the  reasons  mentioned,  the  half- 
year  interval  has  important  advantages,  yet,  as  gen- 
erally managed,  it  has  not  given  many  more  satis- 
factory results  than  the  usual  plan.  While  some 
scholars  are  benefited  by  reviewing  a  half  year's 
work,  the  large  majority  who  fall  but  a  short  dis- 
tance behind  in  their  work  are  injured  by  being 
compelled  to  review  half  a  year's  work  when  they 
are  but  a  few  weeks  behind.  While,  in  theory,  re- 
classification  is  made  easier;  yet  it  is  still  quite  diffi- 
cult, and  the  number  of  reclassifications  reported  i3 
not  much  larger  than  under  the  usual  method. 


38  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

For  this  reason,  nearly  all  of  the  serious  objections 
urged  against  the  usual  plan  apply  with  almost 
equal  force  against  this  method. 

However,  it  should  be  remembered  that  the  possi- 
bility of  having  a  much  more  pliant  method  with 
this  plan  are  greater  than  under  the  usual  one,  and 
perhaps  the  only  additional  objection  to  the  half- 
year  interval  is,  that  the  pupils  must  change  teach- 
ers twice  each  year. 

THE  SHORTER  INTERVAL. 
Characteristics — 

Two  or  three  prominent  cities  have  tried  the 
shorter  interval  with  more  or  less  success.  With 
the  shorter  interval  the  pupils  of  each  class  are 
divided  in  such  a  way  that  the  divisions  are  not 
more  than  ten  or  twelve  weeks  apart.  Each  class 
has  assigned  to  it  a  certain  part  of  the  course  of 
study,  which  is  divided  and  assigned  to  the  classes 
as  in  the  usual  method  of  grading.  Pupils  are  pro- 
moted to  advanced  work  at  times  arbitrarily  fixed, 
as  under  the  usual  plan,  though  more  frequently. 

Advantages — 

Properly  managed,  this  plan  would  make  re- 
classification  comparatively  easy,  as  the  divisions 
are  so  close  together  that  many  of  the  stronger  pu- 
pils could  pass  from  one  division  to  the  next  higher, 
if  given  the  opportunity  to  do  so.  Though  reports 


DIFFERENT  CLASS  INTERVALS.  39 

from  the  cities  using  this  method  prove  that,  as 
managed,  it  is  almost  as  procrustean  as  the  usual 
method,  all  must  agree  that,  with  suitable  provision 
for  reclassification,  there  is  no  good  reason  why 
pupils  should  not  be  more  accurately  graded  under 
this  method. 
Disadvantages — 

"While  many  objections  are  urged  against  this 
plan  because  the  results  have  not  been  satisfactory, 
the  only  serious  objection  is  founded  upon  the  gen- 
erally accepted  belief  that,  to  change  teachers  and 
classes  several  times  each  year,  not  only  seriously 
interferes  with  the  pupils'  progress  in  lessons,  but 
also  has  a  blighting  influence  upon  their  characters. 


Chapter  V. 


THE  USUAL  METHOD  CONDEMNED  BY 
EDUCATOKS. 

THE  DEFECTS  APPARENT  TO  ALL. 

Some  years  ago  a  diligent  search  was  made 
throughout  the  United  States  for  the  purpose  of 
discovering  a  satisfactory  method  of  grading,  and 
information  was  gathered  concerning  the  needs  and 
conditions  existing  in  a  great  many  cities  in  all 
parts  of  the  country.  With  but  few  exceptions, 
all  educators  felt  the  need  of  some  reforms  in  the 
manner  of  grading,  and  agreed  that  it  was  time 
teachers  stopped  trying  to  fit  millions  of  children 
to  procrustean  beds  of  grade;  but  practical  methods 
were  not  offered  for  the  correction  of  the  acknowl- 
edged evils  of  defective  grading.  Many  earnest 
educators  realized  that  it  was  a  matter  of  vital  im- 
portance to  every  boy  and  girl  in  the  schools,  that 
some  changes  should  be  urged  which  would  make  it 
possible  for  every  American  boy  and  girl  to  go  as 


THE  USUAL  METHOD  CONDEMNED.  41 

far  and  as  fast  as  ability  and  opportunity  would  per- 
mit. This,  indeed,  is  the  high  ideal  of  our  grand 
republic,  but  the  attempt  at  uniformity  in  school 
work  not  only  makes  this  impossible,  but  also  vio- 
lates the  fundamental  principles  of  common  sense, 
nature  and  pedagogy. 

Several  years  ago,  under  the  direction  of  the 
United  States  Commissioner  of  Education,  a  num- 
ber of  questions  bearing  upon  this  subject  were  sent 
to  the  superintendents  of  several  hundred  cities. 
To  these  questions,  five  hundred  and  sixty-five 
answers  were  received.  As  these  answers  came 
from  those  who  are  largely  responsible  for  the 
metho4s  of  organization  in  common  use,  a  consid- 
eration of  some  of  the  conclusions  reached  cannot 
fail  to  be  beneficial  in  the  study  of  this  important 
problem.  For  this  reason,  several  of  the  questions 
are  given. 

"Is  it  sulficient  to  classify  with  intervals  of  a 
year's  work  in  grade  of  advancement  between  the 
classes,  or  ought  the  intervals  to  be  made  as  small 
as  can  be  done  and  secure  classes  of  the  normal 
size — say  twenty  to  thirty  pupils  in  each?"  Less 
than  fourteen  per  cent,  favored  the  class  interval  of 
a  year.  Why  then  should  it  be  used  by  the  ma- 
jority of  schools?  It  is  claimed,  with  truth,  that 
some  Boards  of  Education  prevent  their  superin- 
tendents from  doing  what  they  know  to  be  best. 


42  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

Is  it  not  time  that  those  in  charge  of  the  schools 
should  be  left  free  to  work  for  the  best  interests  of 
the  children? 

"Is  it  the  natural  effect  of  classifying  with  inter- 
vals of  a  year  or  more  between  classes,  that  the 
bright  pupils  are  held  back  and  not  given  work 
enough  to  do  to  develop  their  capacity,  while  the 
teacher  is  obliged  to  expend  the  greater  part  of 
his  time  on  the  slow  and  less  competent  pupils?1' 
Less  than  seven  per  cent,  answered  "!NV  to  this 
question.  ]STot  seven  per  cent,  of  five  hundred  and 
sixty-five  dared  defend  the  usual  plan,  though  most 
of  them  were  using  it.  Not  seven  per  cent,  could 
deny  that  with  the  yearly  interval  "the  bright 
pupils  are  held  back  and  not  given  enough  work  to 
do  to  deveolp  their  capacity;"  yet  this  plan  is  in 
general  use.  It  seems  past  belief,  but  it  is  only 
too  true.  Is  it  any  wonder  that  some  educators, 
willing  to  risk  the  everlasting  condemnation  of 
critics  who  care  more  for  their  own  convenience 
than  for  the  interests  of  the  children,  denounce  in 
unmeasured  terms  this  outrage  upon  the  defenceless 
children? 

"Under  the  system  of  year  intervals  between 
classes,  is  not  the  progress  of  the  whole  school  kept 
down  to  the  pace  of  the  slowest  and  weakest 
pupils?"  Less  than  nine  per  cent  say  that  the 
usual  plan  does  not  compel  all  to  walk  in  intellect- 


THE  USUAL  METHOD  CONDEMNED.  43 

ual  lock-step  with  the  slowest  pupils.  Is  it  not 
time  that  every  person  responsible  for  the  organi- 
zation of  schools,  not  only  favors  a  change  to  some 
more  sensible  method,  but  also  works  earnestly  for 
the  establishment  of  a  more  rational  plan? 

''Does  not  this  system  discourage  the  less  mature 
and  sluggish  minds  of  a  class,  while  it  wastes  the 
opportunities  of  the  bright  minds?"  Less  than 
nine  per  cent  were  willing  to  deny  that  this  plan 
does  "discourage  the  less  mature  and  waste  the 
opportunities  of  the  bright  minds,"  and  yet  this 
method  survives.  Survives?  Yes,  and  until 
lately  was  in  almost  universal  use.  More  than 
that,  if  is  even  now  in  use,  not  only  in  the  very 
large  majority  of  cities  and  towns,  but  even  in  the 
majority  of  those  systems  represented  by  these 
superintendents  who  have  thus  condemned  it  unre- 
servedly. 

Superintendents,  principals,  members  of  Boards 
of  Education,  teachers  and  friends  of  the  schools: 
in  the  name  of  the  long-suffering  children,  consider 
the  answers  of  these  educators,  and  see  to  it  that 
there  is  provided  some  plan  which  will  not  crush 
the  intellectual  life  out  of  the  children ! 

WHERE  THE  RESPONSIBILITY  RESTS. 
It  is,  indeed,  a  serious  matter  to  place  the  blame 
for  the  continance  of  such  an  unjust,  unpedagog- 


44  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

ical  and  blighting  method  of  classification.  Some 
would  put  it  all  on  the  superintendents,  who,  while 
they  realize  the  weakness  of  the  usual  plan  do  not 
demand  a  change,  because  they  know  that  their 
positions  will  be  endangered  if  they  advocate  un- 
popular measures.  Others  blame  the  Boards  of 
Education,  who,  by  making  the  superintendent's 
office  a  political  one,  by  electing  him  for  a  short 
term,  and  in  other  ways,  make  it  almost  impossible 
for  him  to  work  for  the  best  interests  of  the  schools. 
Again,  there  are  others  who  would  place  all  the 
blame  on  the  people,  who,  though  they  cheerfully 
support  the  schools,  because  they  love  them,  yet 
forget  that  it  is  not  only  their  privilege  but  their 
duty  to  see  to  it  that  those  who  are  chosen  to  man- 
age the  schools  do  so  in  such  a  way  as  to  subserve 
the  best  interests  of  the  pupils,  for  whom  the 
schools  exist.  It  is  not  at  all  unlikely  that  all  of 
these  must  share  the  responsibility;  but  the  matter 
of  great  importance  is  that  the  need  of  a  change 
should  be  so  keenly  felt  by  all,  that  those  who  have 
the  interests  of  the  children  in  their  safe-keeping 
will  not  dare  remain  passive  longer. 


Chapter  VL 


UNSUCCESSFUL  ATTEMPTS  TO  CORRECT 
THE  DEFECTIVE  GKADING. 

There  is,  however,  great  cause  for  encourage- 
ment, since  many  conscientious  superintendents 
have  lately  begun  to  realize  the  importance  of  hav- 
ing a  more  sensible  plan  of  grading  and  promoting 
pupils.  A  number  have  urged  the  correctness  of 
different  theories,  though,  until  quite  recently,  but 
few  had  shown  enough  confidence  in  their  own 
theories  to  attempt  to  put  them  into  practice.  It 
is  one  thing  to  point  the  way,  and  an  entirely  dif- 
ferent undertaking  to  lead  the  assault  upon  the 
strongly  defended  Gibraltars  of  conservatism. 
Some  have  tried  to  evolve  a  system  of  classification 
and  promotion  which  would  make  it  possible  to 
place  and  keep  pupils  with  those  of  about  equal 
ability.  Though  unsuccessful  in  their  attempts  to 
work  out  a  method  which  would  make  it  easy  for 
pupils  to  go  forward  just  as  fast  as  they  are  able 
to  do  the  work  well,  they  have  done  much  to  make 


40  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

possible  a  more  flexible  plan  of  grading,  by  show- 
ing what  was  not  satisfactory.  Many  of  their  ex- 
periments are  pregnant  with  lessons  which  should 
be  learned  by  those  who  are  responsible  for  the  or- 
ganization of  schools.  Therefore,  it  seems  advis- 
able to  consider  briefly  some  of  the  more  important 
attempts  to  work  out  a  more  flexible  method,  which 
would  make  reclassification  feasible. 

PROMOTION  OF  INDIVIDUALS. 

Many  superintendents  adopted  what  seemed  to 
be  the  easiest  way  of  meeting  the  just  criticisms  of 
the  usual  method,  by  stating  that  they  would  per- 
mit teachers  to  promote  pupils  at  any  time.  It 
was  soon  discovered  that  this  seemingly  great  con- 
cession was  entirely  barren  of  beneficial  results,  for 
the  reason  that  no  pupils  who  had  been  properly 
placed  could  skip  the  work  of  an  entire  year  with 
profit  to  themselves.  The  records  of  a  large  num- 
ber of  pupils,  in  different  cities,  prove  that  this 
was  of  but  little  benefit,  save  to  those  who  were 
very  much  ahead  of  their  classmates.  Where  the 
work  apportioned  to  each  grade  was  sufficient  for 
the  time  allotted  for  its  completion,  not  one  pupil 
in  five  hundred  was  able  to  successfully  skip  the 
work  of  that  grade.  But  few  tried  to  do  so,  and  of 
those  who  did  nearly  all  lost  the  time  later  and 
were  more  seriously  injured  by  thus  being  discour- 


ATTEMPTS  TO  CORRECT  DEFECTIVE  GRADING.  47 

aged  than  they  would  have  been  had  they  remained 
with  their  former  classmates,  who  soon  not  only 
overtook  them,  but  found  no  trouble  in  passing 
them. 

Since  such  is  the  case,  it  is  greatly  to  be  regretted 
that  many  earnest  superintendents  are  still  satisfied 
with  such  a  provision  for  reclassification.  The 
superintendent  or  principal  who  does  not  now 
favor  the  promotion  of  pupils  just  as  soon  as  they 
are  ready  for  advanced  work,  can  scarcely  be 
found.  The  time  has  now  come  when  all  should 
realize  the  fact  that  it  is  not  sufficient  to  allow 
pupils  to  strive  for  benefits  which  all  know  they 
cannot  secure.  The  futility  of  such  a  method  was 
well  pointed  out  by  Dr.  J.  T.  Prince,  State  Agent 
of  the  Massachusetts  Board  of  Education,  in  a  re- 
port just  published.  After  making  a  careful  and 
exhaustive  study  of  the  plans  used  and  the  results 
obtained  in  the  cities  and  towns  throughout  this 
country,  he  stated  what  those  familiar  with  the 
facts  know  to  be  the  truth,  when  he  said  as  follows: 
"Quite  a  number  of  superintendents  report  that  the 
matter  is  left  to  the  teachers,  with  the  request  that 
pupils  be  promoted  whenever  they  are  qualified; 
but,  in  such  cases,  there  is  either  no  report  of  the 
number  of  individual  promotions,  or  else  the  num- 
ber of  such  promotions  is  so  small  they  may  be  said 
to  be  rare  exceptions."  How  could  it  be  otherwise? 


48  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

What  is  the  sense  of  giving  a  teacher  permission  to 
do  what  the  method  of  grading  and  promoting 
makes  impossible  to  accomplish?  Of  what  benefit 
is  all  this  child-study,  if  there  is  no  possibility  of 
ministering  to  the  needs  of  the  children  even  when 
those  needs  are  accurately  located? 

A  SHORTER  CLASS  INTERVAL. 

Finding  that  it  was  impossible  to  reclassify 
pupils  when  the  classes  were  a  year  apart,  an  effort 
was  made  to  secure  better  results  by  shortening  the 
interval  between  the  classes.  In  a  preceding 
chapter,  the  characteristics,  advantages  and  disad- 
vantages of  the  shorter  interval  have  been  dis- 
cussed, and  attention  called  to  the  fact  that,  prop- 
erly managed,  the  shorter  interval  has  some  im- 
portant advantages.  However,  so  far  as  is  known, 
no  one  has  proved  by  results  obtained  that  the 
shorter  interval  has  been  so  managed  as  to  make 
reclassification  easy.  "With  the  shorter  interval, 
the  classes  have  been  kept  closer  together,  but  the 
pupils  of  each  class  have  still  been  forced  to  move 
in  intellectual  lock-step  month  after  month  and 
year  after  year.  Therefore,  the  plan  has  proved 
no  more  satisfactory  than  the  usual  method.  This 
was  necessarily  the  case,  not  because  better  results 
were  not  obtainable,  but,  principally  because  no 
satisfactory  provision  was  made  for  the  promotion 


ATTEMPTS  TO  CORRECT  DEFECTIVE  GRADING.  49 

and  retrogression  of  pupils  at  any  time  when  neces- 
sary to  keep  the  classification  accurate.  If  such 
provision  had  been  made,  so  that  teachers  and  prin- 
cipals could  easily  do  what  they  found  to  be  best, 
there  would  have  been  frequent  reclassifications  of 
pupils,  and  the  beneficial  results  would  have  fol- 
lowed just  as  surely  as  that  the  day  follows  the 
rising  of  the  sun. 

As  has  been  intimated,  the  results  of  the  use  of 
the  shorter  intervals  have  not  been  as  satisfactory 
as  it  was  reasonable  to  expect  they  would  be.  The 
records  of  a  large  number  of  schools  having  the 
half-year  interval  prove  that,  for  every  hundred 
pupils  enrolled,  there  were  from  one  hundred  and 
twenty-five  to  two  hundred  and  ten  years  lost. 
There  were  very  few,  if  any,  promotions  or  retro- 
gressions between  the  times  for  regular  promotion. 
From  twenty  to  fifty  per  cent  of  the  pupils  failed 
to  be  promoted,  and  but  few  pupils  were  able  to 
gain  any  time  by  moving  faster  than  the  majority. 

In  a  prominent  city  having  a  shorter  interval 
between  the  classes,  it  was  claimed  that  the  plan  of 
grading  was  far  superior  to  the  usual  method. 
However,  from  the  published  reports  of  the  schools 
of  that  city,  as  well  as  from  other  equally  official 
information,  the  following  facts  are  given  as  con- 
clusive proof  that  even  the  shortest  interval,  as  it 
had  been  managed,  gave  no  relief  from  the  evil 


50  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

effects  of  imperfect  classification.  There  were 
very  few  reclassifications.  Forty-eight  per  cent 
of  the  pupils  in  the  higher  grammar  grades  were 
not  promoted.  Less  than  fifty-two  per  cent  of  all 
the  scholars  enrolled  were  promoted  during  the 
year;  and  eighty  per  cent  of  those  in  the  highest 
.grammar  grades  had  lost  from  one  to  six  years — 
there  being  over  two  hundred  years  lost  for  each 
one  hundred  pupils  enrolled.  While  these  facts 
tend  to  raise  doubts  as  to  the  efficacy  of  the  shorter 
interval,  such  should  not  be  the  case,  as  the  possi- 
bilities of  the  shorter  interval  are  so  much  greater 
than  those  of  the  year  interval. 

From  the  foregoing,  it  is  apparent  that,  though 
the  class  interval  is  an  important  factor  in  working 
out  a  proper  method  of  grading,  it  is  by  no  means 
the  only  one.  Though  a  step  in  the  right  direc- 
tion, it  is  only  one  of  several  required  to  reach  the 
desired  end. 

THE  PROMOTION  TEST  ABANDONED. 

After  a  time  educationists,  both  in  this  country 
and  in  England,  realized  the  fact  that  the  pro- 
motion examination  was  one  of  the  most  serious 
obstacles  to  the  reclassification  of  pupils.  •  Even 
with  other  conditions  favorable,  it  was  found 
almost  impossible  to  promote  pupils  at  any  time 
save  at  that  one  arbitrarily  fixed  for  the  general  pro- 


ATTEMPTS  TO  CORRECT  DEFECTIVE  GRADING.  51 

motion.  The  shorter  interval,  with  more  examina- 
tions, made  possible  more  frequent  changes  for 
classes,  but  gave  no  additional  flexibility,  for  rea- 
sons which  have  been  pointed  out.  Teachers 
whose  efficiency  was  to  be  judged  by  the  records 
which  their  pupils  would  make  in  the  final  tests, 
when  teachers  and  pupils  passed  in  review  before 
the  Board  of  Education  and  the  superintendent, 
could  not  be  blamed  for  not  wishing  to  receive 
pupils,  who,  though  ahead  of  their  classmates,  were 
behind  the  next  class  ahead.  By  receiving  such, 
they  would  not  only  greatly  increase  their  own 
burdens,  but  would  rob  all  their  pupils  of  the  atten- 
tion which  they  sadly  needed  to  prepare  them  for 
the  dreaded  examination.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
teacher  who  had  a  number  of  bright  pupils,  would 
naturally  wish  to  keep  them,  that  they  might  raise 
the  average  which  the  class  would  make  in  the  ex- 
amination, which  so  often  has  been  used  to  con- 
demn teachers  unjustly. 

But  though  the  promotion  examination  was  seen 
to  be  a  most  serious  mistake,  and  while  many 
agreed  that  it  was  the  cause  of  grave  defects  and 
the  bulwark  of  most  unpedagogical  methods,  yet 
its  abandonment  is  only  one  of  several  steps  leading 
to  a  more  pliant  plan  of  grading.  This  fact  is 
amply  proved  by  the  records  in  fifty  towns  and 
cities,  where  its  abandonment  gave  little  or  no  ad- 


52  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

ditional  flexibility.  However,  it  should  be  remem- 
bered that  the  shorter  interval  and  a  more  sensible 
basis  for  promotion  are  important  steps  in  the  right 
direction. 

UNGRADED  ROOM  IN  EACH  BUILDING. 

Finding  it  absolutely  necessary  to  do  something 
for  those  falling  behind,  a  few  tried  the  experiment 
of  having  an  ungraded  room  in  each  school  where 
it  was  possible  to  have  it.  This  plan  has  had  a 
very  limited  trial,  and,  so  far  as  can  be  learned,  has 
never  been  used  to  any  considerable  extent  by  any 
city.  Properly  managed,  by  a  strong  teacher,  it 
has  proved  a  benefit  to  the  few  who  were  placed 
in  the  class  until  they  could  be  prepared  for  the 
work  of  some  regular  class.  The  facts  that  it  gave 
relief  to  but  few  of  the  many  needing  help,  the 
lack  of  additional  classrooms,  and  the  considerable 
extra  expense,  prevented  its  general  adoption, 
even  in  the  cities  where  it  was  most  strongly 
favored. 

ADDITIONAL  TEACHERS  FOR  EACH  SCHOOL. 

Some  who  were  desirous  of  trying  the  plan  men- 
tioned above,  and  were  unable  to  find  vacant  class 
rooms,  appointed  additional  teachers  to  assist  the 
laggards,  in  the  hope  that  they  would  thus  be  en- 
abled to  keep  pace  with  the  rest  of  the  class.  Like 


ATTEMPTS  TO  CORRECT  DEFECTIVE  GRADING.  53 

the  plan  which  it  resembles,  it  was  beneficial  to  but 
a  very  limited  number  of  pupils;  for  every  teacher 
of  experience  knows  that  such  plans  cannot  help 
one-twentieth  of  those  who  need  assistance. 

However,  these  experiments  are  of  some  utility 
to  the  slower  scholars,  although  they  entirely  neg- 
lect the  brighter  ones,  who  suffer  serious  injury 
because  of  continually  marking  time. 

BRIGHTER  PUPILS  GIVEN  ADDITIONAL  WORK. 

In  the  hope  of  keeping  the  brighter  pupils  busy, 
a  few  have  permitted  them  to  take  up  additional 
subjects  whenever  their  attainments  and  capacities 
were  such  that  they  were  likely  to  be  injured  by 
being  held  down  to  the  pace  of  the  slowest.  This 
is  a  commendable  method  of  making  some  provision 
for  this  class  of  pupils,  who  are,  perhaps,  the  ones 
most  injured  by  the  usual  method  of  grading. 
While  great  pains  should  be  taken  to  brighten  the 
dull,  this  should  be  done  in  such  a  way  as  not  to 
bedim  the  brighter  scholars.  In  the  average 
school  so  much  attention  has  been  given  to  the 
polishing  of  the  pebbles  that  no  regard  could  be 
given  to  the  diamonds  which  were  gradually  being 
dimmed.  In  lieu  of  a  better  plan,  extra  lessons 
will  often  serve  the  purpose  of  saving  some  from 
the  blighting  effect  of  enforced  idleness.  It  should 
not  be  forgotten  that  success  without  effort  is  only 


54  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

less  injurious  than  effort  without  success.  The 
greatest  objection  to  this  method  is,  that  it  brings 
to  the  over-worked  teacher  a  great  deal  of  extra 
work,  worry  and  planning.  Indeed,  it  is  claimed 
by  some  that  to  lay  out  and  look  after  the  extra 
work  properly  almost  doubles  the  strain  on  the 
teacher.  All  agree  that  if  scholars  can  be  kept 
busy  on  the  regular  work  it  will  not  only  be  best 
for  the  pupils,  but  it  will  be  most  satisfactory  to  the 
teachers  as  well. 

DOUBLE-TRACK  COURSE  OF  STUDY. 

Two  or  three  cities  are  trying  a  plan  quite  dif- 
ferent from  any  yet  mentioned.  The  course  of 
study  for  the  grammar  grades  is  double-tracked, 
as  it  were,  and  divided  in  such  a  way  that  it  may 
be  completed  in  from  four  to  six  years.  Provision 
is  also  made  for  "switching"  from  one  track  to  the 
other.  As  a  means  of  making  it  possible  for  some 
pupils  to  complete  the  work  of  the  grammar  grades 
in  less  than  the  prescribed  time,  this  plan  is  a  suc- 
cess; but  as  a  method  of  making  possible  the  read- 
justment of  pupils  in  such  a  way  as  to  keep  the 
classification  accurate,  the  published  results  prove 
it  to  be  an  utter  failure.  It  is  flexible  only  at  the 
one  point  and  time,  and  makes  no  provision  for 
reclassification  in  the  primary  grades,  where  fre- 
quent readjustment  is  most  needed. 


ATTEMPTS  TO  CORRECT  DEFECTIVE  GRADING.  55 

RETURN  TO  UNGRADED  SCHOOL. 

Thoroughly  disgusted  with  the  evils  resulting 
from  the  defective  grading,  and  convinced  that 
there  was  no  satisfactory  solution  of  the  problem, 
a  few  returned  to  the  methods  of  the  ungraded 
schools.  They  soon  found  that  because  of  the 
large  number  of  classes  good  results  were  harder  to 
secure  than  under  the  usual  plan. 

Unmindful  of  the  many  advantages  of  the  class 
recitation,  some  abandoned  it  and  returned  to  in- 
dividual instruction,  in  the  belief  that  this  would 
be  best  for  the  pupils;  the  effort  being  made  to 
develop  the  individual  by  permitting  each  one  to 
work  alone.  This  certainly  implies  a  false  idea  of 
education,  which  is  to  develop  children  so  as  to 
prepare  them  for  proper  living  in  society.  The 
class  is  the  best  place  for  pupils  to  learn  to  correct 
wrong  ideas,  by  seeing  things  through  the  eyes  of 
the  other  members  of  the  class.  It  is  for  this  rea- 
son that  children  learn  more  from  others  than  they 
do  from  their  teachers  or  from  their  books.  If  the 
work  is  adapted  to  the  class,  each  pupil  helps  all, 
and,  in  return,  all  are  benefited  by  each.  The 
man  who  does  not  learn  from  others  is  sure  to  be  a 
miserable  failure;  and  it  is  the  same  in  the  school. 
It  should  be  remembered,  then,  that  while  there  is 
a  place  for  individual  work,  individual  testing  and 


o6  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

individual  instruction,  there  is  also  much  benefit 
to  be  derived  from  work  in  groups  and  classes. 

THE  REQUISITES  OF  A  PROPER  PLAN  OF  GRADING. 

A  satisfactory  plan  of  grading  must  make  pos- 
sible an  accurate  classification  of  pupils,  so  that 
those  of  very  nearly  equal  ability  and  advancement 
may  be  placed  in  the  same  class;  it  must  make  such 
provision  for  frequent  reclassification  that  the 
teacher  will  be  able  to  keep  the  classification  accur- 
ate; and  it  must  permit  individuals  and  classes  to  go 
f orward  as  fast  as  they  can  do  the  work  well.  It 
will  not  be  perfectly  satisfactory,  however,  unless 
it  retains  the  advantages  of  class  instruction  with- 
out sacrificing  the  interest  of  the  individual.  It 
will  be  ideal  if  it  meets  these  demands  of  a  proper 
plan  of  grading  in  such  a  way  as  to  be  capable  of 
general  adoption,  and  that  without  increasing  the 
expense  of  the  schools  or  the  strain  upon  the 
teachers. 

OTHER  PLANS  FAIL  TO  MEET  REQUIREMENTS. 

Though  each  of  the  plans  already  mentioned  is 
the  result  of  an  honest  effort  to  provide  a 
more  pliant  plan  of  grading,  yet  not  one  of 
them  makes  possible  frequent  reclassification  of  in- 
dividuals in  order  that  the  classification  may  be 
kept  accurate.  Of  necessity,  each  one  must  result 


ATTEMPTS  TO  CORRECT  DEFECTIVE  GRADING.  5T 

in  keeping  together  pupil§  of  unequal  ability  and 
attainments.  There  is  not  one  which  does  not  ex- 
pect individuals  and  classes  to  finish  a  definite  por- 
tion of  the  work  by  a  certain  time,  arbitrarily  fixed, 
without  any  consideration  of  the  individual  or  the 
class.  Is  it  not  because  of  the  failures  in  these 
matters  that  the  results  have  not  been  encouraging? 

FEASIBILITY  OF  SECURING  A  SATISFACTORY  PLAN. 
Surrounded  as  all  are  by  limiting  conditions, 
is  it  possible  to  have  a  more  pliant  plan  of  grading, 
which  will  combine  the  advantages  of  the  indi- 
vidual and  class  systems  of  instruction?  Is  it  pos- 
sible- to  give  more  attention  to  individual  needs 
without  endangering  the  interests  of  the  masses? 
Can  the  work  be  suited  to  the  ability  of  the  pupils 
so  that  all  may  go  just  about  as  fast  as  it  is  best  for 
them?  Is  it  possible  to  have  a  system  which  will 
exist,  not  for  itself,  but  for  the  proper  development 
of  the  children  in  the  school?  Too  many  have 
been  ready  to  accept,  as  final,  negative  answers  to 
these  questions.  That  such  a  plan  cannot  be  se- 
cured by  a  single  step,  even  though  it  be  a  long  one 
in  the  right  direction,  is  amply  proved  by  the  ex- 
periments made  by  many  earnest  educators.  How- 
ever, it  may  be  asserted  without  fear  of  successful 
contradiction,  that  it  is  possible  to  have  a  satis- 
factory plan,  if  those  whose  duty  it  is  to  do  so  will 


58  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

study  this  problem  with  the  care  and  persistency 
which  its  importance  warrants. 

In  the  following  chapters  the  primary  requisites 
of  a  proper  plan  of  grading  are  discussed,  and  there 
is  given  an  explanation  of  a  plan  which  has  stood 
the  test  of  years  of  trial,  and  which  under  most  ad- 
verse and  varying  conditions  has  given  most  excel- 
lent results.  In  the  earnest  hope  that  they  will  be 
of  assistance  to  those  who  are  striving  to  work  out 
a  method  which  will  meet  the  conditions  by  which 
they  are  surrounded,  additional  chapters  are  given 
for  the  purpose  of  explaining  devices  which  expe- 
rience has  proved  to  be  of  great  value. 


Chapter  VIL 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  PUPILS. 

All  thoughtful  educators  must  realize  the  fact 
that  the  proper  classification  of  pupils  is  one  of  the 
most  important  factors  in  securing  a  satisfactory 
plan  of  grading.  Many  now  see  clearly  the  abso- 
lute necessity  of  having  pupils  closely  classified  and 
of  keeping  those  nearly  equal  in  ability  and  attain- 
ments together  all  the  time.  However,  with  class- 
rooms crowded  to  the  doors,  and  surrounded  as  all 
are  by  many  and  unfavorable  limiting  conditions, 
it  has  not  seemed  possible  to  reach  this  desired 
end.  Different  methods  have  been  tried  without 
satisfactory  results.  The  following  suggestions  are 
given  for  the  reason  that  they  have  proved  per- 
fectly feasible  in  schools  varying  in  size  from  three 
to  thirty  rooms,  where  the  classes  were  very  large 
and  conditions  were  most  unfavorable. 

PUPILS    OF    SAME    ABILITY    GROUPED    TOGETHER. 
The  pupils    should  be  carefully    classified,  and 
those  of  about  equal  ability  and  attainments  should 
be  grouped  by  themselves  in  separate  rooms. 


60  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

The  placing  of  pupils  of  the  same  grade  in  a 
room,  instead  of  mixing  pupils  of  two  or  three 
grades,  as  many  do,  has  many  advantages.  One 
of  the  most  important  is  that  all  can  recite  together 
in  those  branches  in  which  it  is  easy  to  hold  the 
attention,  and,  therefore,  in  which  it  is  possible 
to  secure  simultaneous  mental  activity  on  the  part 
of  all.  In  this  way,  all  the  claims  of  simultaneous 
instruction  may  be  met  without  jeopardizing  the 
interests  of  the  individual.  The  time  thus  saved 
can  be  used  to  great  advantage  in  other  lessons, 
where  it  is  absolutely  necessary  that  the  teacher 
shall  always  know  exactly  what  knowledge  each 
pupil  possesses,  for  the  reason  that,  in  these  sub- 
jects, further  progress  is  entirely  dependent  on 
what  has  been  learned. 

In  essential  branches,  the  pupils  of  each  room 
should  be  subdivided,  according  to  ability  and 
acquirements,  into  several  small  sections.  The 
number  of  sections  in  each  grade  will  vary  with  the 
number  of  rooms  of  the  same  grade  in  the  building, 
the  year  of  work,  the  importance  of  the  subject,  the 
efficiency  of  the  teacher,  and  with  other  limiting 
conditions. 

The  number  of  divisions  in  each  subject  should 
also  be  determined  by  these  conditions,  after  a  care- 
ful consideration  of  the  subjects  in  each  grade  and 
a  study  of  the  records  of  children  of  different 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  PUPILS.  61 

grades.  This  study  of  the  pupils'  records  will  show 
that  nearly  all  the  difficulty  arises  at  certain  points 
in  each  grade,  so  that  by  providing  for  individual 
instruction  at  these  danger  points,  all  difficulty  may 
be  removed. 

Likewise,  the  number  of  pupils  in  each  division 
varies  with  limiting  conditions.  The  larger  the 
number  of  pupils  to  select  from,  the  greater  the 
number  that  can  go  together  without  injury.  All 
must  acknowledge  that  the  more  nearly  uniform 
the  pupils  of  a  class  are  in  ability  and  attainments, 
the  better  can  the  instruction  be  suited  to  their 
needs,  ihe  greater  is  the  power  of  emulation,  the 
larger  is  the  number  that  can  successfully  be  taught 
together,  the  easier  it  is  to  hold  the  attention  and 
concentrate  it  upon  the  subject  presented,  and 
therefore  the  better  the  training  given.  No  matter 
how  close  the  grading,  there  will  always  be  suffi- 
cient difference  in  the  pupils  of  each  group  to  give 
that  quickening  influence  which  is  such  an  import- 
ant result  of  class  teaching. 

The  accurate  grading  of  pupils  into  classes  of 
from  eight  to  twenty,  instead  of  roughly  herding 
them  in  classes  of  from  forty  to  sixty,  furnishes  a 
practical  method  of  reaching  the  individual,  and 
thus  makes  possible  the  mental  growth  that  is  de- 
pendent upon  constant,  healthy,  beneficial,  intel- 
lectual activity.  It  not  only  secures  from  each  his 


62  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

best  work,  but  it  prevents  overwork  on  the  part  of 
the  nervous  pupils,  and  on  the  part  of  others  who, 
for  any  reason,  should  not  have  severe  mental  labor. 
It  is  not  necessary  to  divide  the  grades  into  small 
classes  except  in  the  essential  branches,  which  vary 
somewhat  with  the  courses  of  study  and  are  differ- 
ent in  the  several  grades.  The  number  of  recita- 
tions need  not  be  greater  than  is  usual  in  those 
schools  which  have  more  than  one  grade  to  the 
room.  Take,  for  example,  a  grade  in  which  there 
are  six  studies.  Since  many  schools  have  pupils  of 
two  different  grades  in  each  room,  twelve  daily  reci- 
tations are  required.  In  those  schools  which  have 
three  grades  in  each  room,  provision  has  to  be  made 
for  at  least  eighteen  recitations.  Under  this  plan 
of  grading,  three  or  four  divisions  are  made  in  each 
of  the  two  most  important  subjects,  and  two  divis- 
ions in  the  next  most  important  subject.  As  the 
pupils  in  each  room  are  nearly  equal  in  acquire- 
ments, it  is  very  satisfactory  to  have  them  recite 
together  in  the  other,  the  less  important  branches, 
in  which  it  is  easy  to  hold  the  attention,  and  in 
which  future  work  is  not  so  dependent  upon  what 
has  been  learned.  Thus,  by  providing  for  but 
twelve  or  fifteen  recitations  daily,  the  desired  end  is 
reached.  Since  most  buildings  have  from  two 
to  four  rooms  of  the  same  grade,  it  is  easy  to  have, 
not  three  or  four,  but  ten  or  twelve  divisions  in  the 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  PUPILS.  63 

essential  subjects  of  each  grade.  Tinder  such  con- 
ditions, there  could  be  in  the  usual  eight  grades 
from  seventy  to  eighty  divisions  below  the  high 
school,  instead  of  the  eight  divisions,  which  the 
usual  plan  requires.  This,  however,  need  not  dis- 
courage those  in  smaller  buildings,  for  experience 
has  proved  that  a  much  smaller  number  than  seven- 
ty or  eighty  meets  all  the  requirements.  The  im- 
portance of  having  the  course  divided  into  more  sec- 
tions has  lately  been  pointed  out  by  Dr.  W.  H.  Har- 
ris, as  follows:  "Thirty  classes  between  the  first 
and  the  eighth  year  are  possible  in  large  schools  in 
cities*-  That  all  cities  do  not  avail  themselves  of 
this  possibility  is  one  of  the  most  serious  defects  in 
American  school  supervision." 

isTew  divisions  should  be  made  by  the  teacher 
when  they  are  necessary  properly  to  accommodate 
the  pupils  in  his  room,  and  need  not  be  continued 
longer  than  they  are  beneficial.  Instead  of  mak- 
ing the  pupils  fit  the  grades,  the  purpose  should  be 
to  make  the  divisions  suit  the  needs  of  the  pupils. 
As  the  divisions  are  quite  small,  better  results  can 
be  obtained  with  shorter  recitations,  and  time  may 
be  saved  for  individual  work  at  those  points  where 
the  study  of  the  pupil's  record  shows  that  individ- 
ual work  is  most  needed.  The  records  gathered 
show  that  in  one  grade  ninety-two  per  cent  of  the 
failures  were  in  arithmetic  and  grammar.  By  pro- 


64  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

viding  for  small  classes  and  individual  work  in 
these  subjects,  the  causes  of  failure  were  removed, 
and  but  few  pupils  were  kept  back.  While  the 
apparent  increase  in  the  number  of  recitations  led 
teachers  to  look  with  disfavor  on  the  plan  before 
they  understood  it,  at  the  end  of  the  first  year's 
experience  with  it  they  not  only  favored  it,  but 
ninety-four  per  cent  of  them  gave  in  writing  their 
reasons  for  preferring  it  to  any  other  plan  of  which 
they  had  any  knowledge. 

Since  all  pupils  are  placed  in  divisions  with 
those  of  the  same  ability,  the  instruction  can  be 
carefully  adjusted  to  the  needs  of  each,  and  the 
best  teaching  is  made  possible.  The  most  careless 
observer  of  children  knows  that  they  naturally  love 
to  learn  what  is  new,  and  are  always  interested  in 
doing  what  with  reasonable  effort  they  can  do. 
When  suitable  work  is  assigned  to  them  the  tend- 
ency to  idleness  is  greatly  lessened,  and  many  a 
listless  "time-killer"  is  transformed  into  an  earnest 
worker;  the  necessity  of  punishment  is  greatly 
diminished  in  all  classes,  and  has  entirely  disap- 
peared from  many.  Indeed,  this  plan  of  grading 
practically  solves  the  problem  of  the  bad  boy,  and 
proves  that  the  majority  of  the  so-called  bad  boys 
are  the  logical  result  of  a  bad  method.  The  bright 
boys  are  not  kept  busy  under  the  usual  plan;  there- 
fore they  are  the  ones  who  get  into  mischief,  for  the 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  PUPILS.  65 

idle  brain  is  still  the  devil's  workshop.  Some  say 
pupils  are  injured  by  overstudy,  but  for  every  one 
so  injured  a  thousand  are  ruined  by  enforced  idle- 
ness. 

The  importance,  then,  of  accurate  classification 
must  ever  be  kept  in  view.  For  years  pupils  have 
been  crucified  by  being  placed  with  those  of  un- 
equal advancement,  yet  it  was  claimed  they  were 
classified.  Xow  it  is  rightly  demanded  that  they 
be  placed  with  their  peers,  that  their  progress  may 
be  more  certain.  No  longer  will  it  be  acceptable 
to  .condemn  pupils  as  dunces,  because  they  are  not 
sufficiently  advanced  to  keep  up  with  their  compan- 
ions. They  must  be  placed  where  their  ability  and 
their  attainment  make  it  possible  for  them  to  do 
good  work. 


Chapter  Vffl. 


KECLASSIFICATION  OF  PUPILS. 

A  MATTER  OF  VITAL  IMPORTANCE. 

The  importance  of  securing  a  proper  classification 
of  pupils  has  been  emphasized,  and  reasons  have 
been  presented  for  favoring  a  plan  which  has  given 
a  more  satisfactory  classification  than  any  other 
method  yet  suggested.  However,  it  is  not  sufficient 
merely  to  make  the  classification  accurate.  In  the 
past  many  have  made  the  mistake  of  supposing  that 
this  would  answer;  but  such  is  not  the  case.  No 
plan  of  grading  can  justly  claim  consideration  un- 
less it  makes  it  possible  to  keep  the  pupils  working 
with  those  of  equal  attainments.  A  hundred  differ- 
ent determining  factors  influence  the  progress  of 
the  individuals  of  a  class.  Hence  arises  the  need  of 
providing  for  such  a  readjustment  of  pupils  as  to 
make  it  possible  to  place  individuals  where  they 
can  work  to  the  best  advantage  and  receive  the 
greatest  good  from  the  instruction.  All  classifica- 


RECLASSIFICATION  OF  PUPILS.  67 

tion  should  be  only  temporary;  for  pupils  should 
not  remain  in  classes  for  which  they  are  not  suited. 
In  the  past  the  machinery  of  the  graded  school  has 
been  started  and  then  left  to  run  itself.     This  is  a 
serious  error,  for  it  needs  constant  readjustment. 
Reclassification  is  the  only  means  of  saving  the  pu- 
pils from  the  blighting  effects  of  defective  grading. 
For  this  reason,  the  feasibility  of  reclassification  is 
the  most  important  test  of  any  method  of  grading. 
This  is  the  secret  of  any  flexible  plan  of  grading, 
which  is  intended  to  suit  the  needs  of  the  children 
instead  of  compelling  them  to  fit  a  procrustean  bed 
of  grades.     This  truth  should  be  kept  constantly 
in  mind  by  those  who  are  studying  this  problem, 
for  the  greatest  defect  of  the  usual  method  is  found 
in  the  fact  that  the  reclassification  of  pupils  be- 
tween the  times  for  regular  promotion  is  almost  im- 
possible.    Indeed,  the  usual  plan  of  grading  seems 
built  upon  the  supposition  that  pupils  will  go  to- 
gether month  after  month  and  year  after  year, 
without   diverging  in   attainments   or   in   ability. 
That  they    cannot  do  so  all  intelligent    observers 
must  admit.     That  the  schools  fail  utterly  to  pro- 
vide for  reclassification  to  meet  the  needs  of  the 
children  none  will  dare  deny.     Until  recently  no 
plan  had  been  suggested,  which  would  meet  this 
all-important  primary  requisite  of  proper  grading. 
However,  there  is  encouragement  in  the  fact  that 


68  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

some  of  the  leading  educators  of  this  country  are 
realizing  the  importance  of  this  matter  and  suggest- 
ing remedies,  though  none  of  these  have  been  able 
to  point  to  results  obtained  by  actual  practice. 
Among  the  very  first  to  appreciate  the  importance 
of  this  matter  was  Dr.  W.  H.  Harris,  who,  while 
superintendent  of  schools  in  St.  Louis,  gave  the  fol- 
lowing reasons  for  urging  certain  changes  in  that 
city.  They  show  that  this  educational  philosopher, 
who  stands  without  a  peer,  not  only  appreciated  the 
importance  of  constant  readjustment  in  order  that 
pupils  might  be  accurately  graded,  but  that  he  also 
saw  the  importance  of  permitting  them  to  cover  the 
ground  as  fast  as  they  could  do  the  work  well. 
How  this  can  be  done,  does  not  appear,  but  it  is 
greatly  to  be  regretted  that  these  reports  were  not 
available  until  a  short  time  ago,  for  every  page  will 
well  repay  a  careful  reading. 

THE  CORRECT  PRINCIPLE. 

"The  principle  is  clearly  this:  Not  a  procrus- 
tean  bed  of  grades,  on  which  the  school  is  to  be 
stretched  so  as  to  reduce  the  number  of  grades  of 
advancement  to  ten  or  any  other  special  number, 
but  a  thorough  classification  of  all  the  pupils  into 
classes  on  a  certain  quota  as  a  basis,  whether  this  be 
thirty  or  twenty-five,  or  whatever  other  number  is 
considered  the  best.  The  endeavor  will  be  to  have 


RECLASSIFICATION  OF  PUPILS.  69 

the  classes  separated  by  as  small  an  interval  as  possi- 
ble; but  four,  six,  or  even  ten  weeks'  work  is  small 
enough  for  all  practical  purposes;  and  in  order  to 
make  this  arrangement  uniform  the  pupils  in  upper 
grades,  when  too  few  to  form  classes  with  the  re- 
quired quota,  should  be  brought  together  in  central 
schools;  and  this  principle  should  be  applied  as  far 
as  possible;  if  the  highest  grade  in  the  high  school 
consisted  of  sixty  pupils  or  more,  the  division  of  it 
into  two  classes  would  be  required. 

"This  process  of  continual  readjustment  of  clas- 
sification in  our  schools  will  render  the  whole  school 
system,  elastic  and  mobile.  Like  the  current  of  a 
river  there  will  be  everywhere  forward  motion — in 
the  middle  the  current  is  more  rapid,  at  the  sides  the 
current  flows  more  slowly.  The  work  of  a  grade 
laid  down  for  a  year's  study  will  be  accomplished 
in  three  or  three  and  a  half  quarters  by  the  bright- 
est; by  the  dullest  and  slowest  in  five  quarters. 
There  will  be  no  temptation  to  push  on  a  slow  pupil 
or  drag  him  beyond  his  powers;  no  temptation  to 
promote  a  pupil  to  a  new  grade's  work  before  thor- 
oughly completing  what  is  below  him. 

"By  this  plan  would  be  checked  a  pernicious  sys- 
tem of  holding  back  pupils  from  examination  for 
the  high  school,  simply  for  the  purpose  of  gaining 
a  reputation  for  the  school  through  the  high  per 
cent  of  its  pupils  in  the  competitive  examination. 


70  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

"Doubtless  there  is  a  certain  degree  of  thorough- 
ness requisite  in  the  lower  branches  before  the  pupil 
can  profitably  take  up  the  studies  of  the  next  higher 
grade.  After  attaining  this  per  cent  it  is  possible 
to  keep  the  pupil  drilling  over  the  lower  work — in 
order  to  secure  a  certain  mechanical  thoroughness 
— so  long  as  to  waste  much  time  that  might  be  bet- 
ter expended  for  the  pupil's  culture  and  growth  on 
the  higher  studies. 

"There  are  still  some  points  on  which  doubts  may 
rest.  For  example,  it  may  be  urged  that  this  sys- 
tem would  cause  a  collection  of  the  dull  and  stupid 
pupils  into  classes  by  themselves — a  deplorable  re- 
sult. But  this  is  one  of  the  evils  which  this  system 
is  adapted  to  correct.  The  fact  that  the  best  pupils 
from  below  are  allowed  to  rise  through  the  masses 
above  them  as  fast  as  their  ability  can  carry  them  is 
surely  not  likely  to  prevent  the  slower  pupils,  who 
are  their  companions,  from  exerting  all  their  ener- 
gies and  making  considerable  progress.  The 
stream  of  bright  pupils  from  below  is  inexhaustible. 
From  the  primary  grades  it  ascends,  continually 
passing  fixed  points  or  points  that  move  on  more 
slowly.  In  every  class  there  will  be  its  quota  of 
bright  pupils,  some  leading  the  class,  and  some  just 
sustaining  themselves  in  it,  having  recently  joined 
it.  But  in  the  old  system  all  the  bright  pupils  had 
attained  the  top  of  the  class  and  the  dull  ones  had 


RECLASSIFICATION  OF  PUPILS.  71 

fallen  hopelessly  to  the  bottom  long  before  the 
needed  reclassification  took  place." 

THE  THEORY  WELL  STATED. 

"While  superintendent  of  the  schools  of  Omaha, 
Mr.  F.  A.  Fitzpatrick  made  a  careful  study  of  this 
problem.  The  following  quotation  from  his  article 
in  the  Northwestern  Journal  of  Education  proves 
conclusively  that  the  need  of  reclassification  was 
clearly  apprehended  by  this  educational  leader: 

"Here  lies  the  weakness  of  the  graded  system, 
because  we  are  compelled  by  our  limitations  to 
place  children  of  varying  attainments,  will  power, 
capabilities,  and  opportunities,  into  the  same  class. 
The  defect  is  inherent;  all  that  is  possible  is  to  re- 
duce the  difficulty  to  its  lowest  terms.  The  num- 
ber of  pupils  in  any  individual  school  system  is  the 
constant  factor  in  the  treatment  of  this  question  of 
classification;  the  character,  size,  and  location  of 
school  buildings,  variable  elements.  The  shorter 
the  interval  between  classes,  the  better  the  school 
will  perform  its  function  of  adapting  itself  to  the 
needs  of  the  community.  The  more  easy  it  is  to 
classify  pupils  of  varying  attainments  and  capaci- 
ties, the  more  easy  it  is  to  make  special  promotions 
where  pupils  are  able  to  do  more  work.  The  more 
plastic  a  system  of  schools  becomes  in  the  direction 
of  allowing  properly  regulated  special  promotions, 


72  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

the  better  the  system.  The  limitation  here  upon 
the  creation  of  classes  with  short  intervals  between 
them  is  that  the  number  of  pupils  in  each  class  must 
not  fall  below  twenty;  otherwise  we  shall  trench 
over  on  the  other  side.  In  a  properly  managed 
school  system  the  classes  are  perpetually  under- 
going disintegration  and  reintegration.  Crystalli- 
zation into  any  one  absolute  form  is  death,  just  the 
same  as  it  is  in  physical  life.  When  a  new  class  of 
pupils  is  organized,  there  may  be  a  complete  homo- 
geneity, but  after  ten  short  weeks  have  passed  away 
the  pupils  in  this  class  will  appear  in  three  different 
and  divergent  forms.  A  certain  percentage  may 
be  classified  as  very  good  pupils,  another  definite 
quantity  may  be  classified  as  average  pupils,  and 
still  another  portion  as  deficient  pupils.  Approxi- 
mately twenty  per  cent  will  belong  to  the  first  ele- 
ment, fifty  per  cent  to  the  second  element,  and 
thirty  per  cent  to  the  third  element  of  the  class. 
And  should  this  class  of  pupils  be  again  divided  on 
these  lines  and  formed  into  three  separate  and  dis- 
tinct classes,  it  will  be  only  a  few  short  months  be- 
fore each  class  will  break  up  again  into  the  same 
relatively  strongly  marked  three  elements;  very 
good,  average,  and  poor  pupils.  This  phenomenon 
may  be  styled  the  persistency  of  disintegration.  Its 
parallel  may  be  found  in  life,  where  the  tissues  are 
continually  wasting  away,  and  need  to  be  rebuilt 


RECLASSIFICATION  OF  PUPILS.  73 

from  time  to  time  if  the  physical  organism  is  to 
escape  extinction.  The  remedy  for  this  disintegra- 
tion is  reintegration — reclassification,  the  gathering 
together  of  somewhat  similar  elements  to  form  a 
new  class,  which  itself  again  disintegrates  only  to 
be  rebuilt  again,  and  so  ad  infinitum.  In  life,  were 
we  to  wait  until  the  tissues  in  any  particular  organ 
were  wasted  away  before  beginning  the  work  of  re- 
habilitation, the  organism  would  die.  Just  so  in 
the  work  of  classification :  if  we  wait  until  the  disin- 
tegration has  been  completed,  we  shall  not  be  able 
to  reunite  the  dead,  lifeless  parts  into  a  living, 
breathing  whole.  The  breaking  up  of  classes  must 
be  foreseen  and  the  remedy  foreshadowed  all 
through  the  year,  but  more  especially  the  last  three 
months  of  the  year.  In  the  rebuilding  of  classes  in  a 
school  system,  the  short  interval  between  classes  be- 
comes a  very  potent  factor.  There  is  nothing  in 
the  whole  work  of  a  supervisor  that  demands 
clearer  insight  and  greater  breadth  of  vision  than 
the  taking  care  of  this  disease  which  so  remorse- 
lessly attacks  classification." 

MANY  MERE  THEORIES. 

In  view  of  the  fact  that,  for  years,  some  have 
realized  the  importance  of  providing  for  reclassifi- 
cation, it  is  very  surprising  that  no  method  sug- 
gested has  proved  satisfactory.  Since  the  crying 


74  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

need  has  been  appreciated  by  the  many,  several 
have  presented  fine-spun  theories,  but  few  have 
given  anything  more  satisfactory.  Though  theory 
without  practice  is  of  little  value,  yet,  as  there  can 
be  no  intelligent  practice  without  rational  theory, 
it  may  be  well  to  keep  in  mind  what  is  now  gener- 
ally agreed  upon  as  theoretically  correct. 

THE  IDEAL  PLAN  OF  RECLASSIFICATION. 

Those  who  have  studied  this  problem  most  care- 
fully agree  that  the  ideal  method  of  grading  must 
make  it  easy  to  promote  or  retrograde  pupils  when- 
ever their  progress  or  lack  of  progress  results  in 
their  being  ahead  or  behind  their  classmates.  To 
be  satisfactory,  this  reclassification  must  be  possible 
at  any  time,  as  frequently  as  needed,  and  without 
a  too  frequent  change  of  teachers.  A  proper 
method  of  grading  will  demand  more,  but  this 
much  is  demanded  with  regard  to  reclassification. 

No  plan  could  well  be  farther  from  the  ideal 
than  the  usual  plan,  under  which  it  is  possible  to 
reclassify  pupils  only  at  a  time  arbitrarily  fixed  by 
the  authorities,  without  regard  to  the  needs  of  the 
children.  Since  the  usual  plan  has  justly  become 
so  unpopular,  many  say  they  are  willing  to  allow 
promotions  at  any  time.  It  is  well  to  permit  pupils 
to  pass,  at  any  time,  to  work  for  which  they  are  well 
prepared,  but  it  would  be  far  better  if  the  methods 


RECLASSIFICATION  OF  PUPILS.  75 

used  did  not  make  it  impossible  for  them 
to  do  so.  It  is  one  thing  to  permit  children  to  try 
for  a  goal  by  attempting  to  reach  it  by  impossible 
leaps.  It  is  an  entirely  different  thing  to  so  grade 
the  path  leading  to  the  goal  that  reasonable  effort  is 
sure  to  be  rewarded.  The  results  of  the  plan  here- 
in explained  prove  the  need  of  reclassification,  and 
also  show  its  feasibility  under  this  method. 


Chapter  IX. 


THE  PKOMOTIOIs"  OF  PUPILS. 

THE     INFLUENCE     OF     EXAMINATIONS     FOR     PRO- 
MOTION. 

The  promotion  examination  determines  the  re- 
classification  of  pupils.  Therefore,  no  question  is 
more  pertinent  to  the  discussion  of  this  problem. 
In  view  of  its  importance,  it  is  not  to  be  wondered 
at,  that,  of  all  the  difficult  problems  which  con- 
front thoughtful  superintendents  and  principals,  no 
other  one  has  given  rise  to  more  discussion.  For 
years  the  promotion  examination  held  full  sway, 
and  few,  if  any,  questioned  the  propriety  of  having 
the  principals,  teachers  and  pupils  pass  in  review 
before  the  superintendent  at  least  once  e,ach  year. 
However,  as  the  injustice  and  folly  of  such  a  course 
became  apparent,  even  to  the  less  observant,  many 
good  reasons  for  opposing  such  a  plan  were  forth- 
coming. It  is  greatly  to  be  regretted  that,  in  spite 
of  many  strong  arguments  in  favor  of  abandoning 
the  promotion  tests,  they  are  still  defended  by  some 


PROMOTION  OF  PUPILS.  77 

earnest  educators  and  used  by  many  more.  At 
the  latest  meeting  of  the  Superintendents'  Depart- 
ment of  the  National  Educational  Association,  a 
superintendent  from  one  of  our  prominent  cities 
said,  "If  a  superintendent  does  not  look  after  tests 
and  prepare  examinations,  what  will  he  do?"  The 
question  was  well  answered,  to  the  evident  satisfac- 
tion of  those  present,  by  Dr.  Harris,  United  States 
Commissioner  of  Education,  who  said,  "Well,  I  do 
not  know  what  he  will  do,  but  what  he  should  do,  is 
resign,  and  the  sooner  the  better  for  the  schools." 

THE  PROMOTION  EXAMINATIONS  SHOULD  BE  ABAN- 
DONED. 

It  is  of  vital  importance  that  examinations  be 
abandoned  as  tests  of  the  fitness  of  pupils  for  pro- 
motion. This  is  a  primary  requisite  to  any  pliant 
plan  of  grading,  for  they  make  the  time  limit  the 
same  for  all,  and  are,  therefore,  the  cause  of  the 
attempted  uniformity  in  school  work.  It  is  en- 
couraging, that,  from  all  sides  come  unmistakable 
indications  of  a  strong  reaction  against  promotion 
examinations.  As  a  change  is  demanded  by  those 
most  interested  in  the  schools,  all  who  are  in  any 
way  responsible  for  the  organization  of  schools 
should  consider  this  question  most  carefully.  The 
teaching  tests  are  a  necessary  part  of  all  good  in- 
struction; but,  whether  considered  from  the  stand- 


•  78  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

point  of  the  pupil,  the  parent,  or  the  teacher,  the 
examination  tests  must  be  condemned  unreservedly. 
The  attempt  to  cure  the  evil  of  defective  grading, 
which  has  fastened  itself  upon  our  educational 
system,  without  entirely  cutting  off  the  promotion 
examination,  is  as  senseless  as  trying  to  cure  any 
other  malady  without  striking  at  the  root  of  the  dis- 
ease. What  a  great  change  there  has  been  in  this 
during  the  past  decade!  What  educator  has  not 
lately  changed  his  position  with  respect  to  this  sub- 
ject? Where  can  any  one  find  a  city  which  clings 
to  the  "finals"  as  all  formerly  did?  In  many  the 
authorities  have  been  obliged  either  to  abandon 
them,  or  to  make  them  small  factors  in  determining 
promotion. 

PROMOTION  TESTS  STILL  IN  USE. 

Since  promotion  tests  have  justly  become  so  un- 
popular, many  of  those  who  are  still  slaves  to  this 
examination  fiend  try  to  convince  themselves  and 
others  that  they  are  not  greatly  influenced  by  these 
tests.  Few  can  be  found  willing  to  openly  defend 
the  promotion  tests.  However,  many  seem  to  be 
tied  to  them  more  closely  than  they  wish  to  ac- 
knowledge or  feel  they  should  be.  This  fact  was 
clearly  demonstrated  a  short  time  ago,  when  a  body 
of  prominent  educators,  from  school  systems  having 
several  hundred  thousand  pupils,  were  discussing 


PROMOTION  OF  PUPILS.  79 

this  important  question.  One  of  the  speakers  con- 
demned, in  strong  language,  the  use  of  the  promo- 
tion tests.  Apparently,  his  opinions  were  heartily 
indorsed  by  all  present,  for  the  applause  was  deaf- 
ening. After  the  applause  had  died  out,  a  wag  in 
the  back  part  of  the  hall  arose  and  said,  "Being  ac- 
quainted with  the  most  of  the  school  systems  here 
represented,  I  am  surprised  to  learn  that,  without 
exception,  all  condemned  the  use  of  promotion  ex- 
aminations. Will  those  who  do  not  make  any  use 
of  examinations  for  promotion  please  arise,  that 
they  may  be  counted?"  But  one  superintendent 
arose.  The  eloquent  speaker  and  the  rest  were 
"gradually  doing  away  with  them." 

THE  SCHOOLS  EXIST  FOR  THE  CHILDREN. 

Some  argue  that  the  examinations  should  be  con- 
tinued for  the  reason  that,  by  the  use  of  them,  the 
superintendent  or  principal  can  best  follow  the 
work  with  least  trouble  to  himself.  But  the  schools 
are  for  the  children,  and  not  for  superintend- 
ents and  principals.  It  is  time  that  the  methods 
practiced  and  the  reasons  advanced  for  them  cease 
to  lead  the  thoughtful  observer  to  believe  that  the 
children  are  for  the  schools,  and  the  schools  for  su- 
perintendents and  others.  Surely,  the  highest,  inter- 
ests of  the  children  should  determine  the  course  to 
be  followed  in  the  management  of  the  schools. 


80  THE  GRADING  OF  PUPILS. 

PROMOTION  TESTS  NOT  BEST  FOR  THE  CHILDREN. 

There  are  many  reasons  for  believing  that  the 
promotion  examinations  are  not  best  for  the  chil- 
dren. A  few  are  mentioned,  and  others  will  sug- 
gest themselves  to  the  reader. 

As  generally  conducted,  they  are  addressed  to  a 
system  of  facts  committed  to  memory.  If  the  ob- 
ject of  education  be  to  develop  this  particular  kind 
of  memory  at  the  expense  of  all  the  other  faculties; 
to  fill  the  mind  with  words  without  ideas,  that  the 
child  may  repeat, parrot-like, the  thoughts  of  others; 
to  teach  to  imitate  and  to  repeat,  rather  than  to 
think;  to  enable  the  children  to  "get  through  exam- 
inations"; then  final  examinations,  as  tests  for  pro- 
motion, are  good  and  satisfactory.  But  if  the  ob- 
ject of  education  be  to  develop  all  those  powers 
with  which  in  greater  or  less  degree  God  has  en- 
dowed us;  to  "bring  up  children  and  form  men";  to 
"develop  in  the  individual  all  the  perfection  of 
which  he  is  susceptible";  then  examinations,  upon 
which  so  much  depend,  defeat  the  very  object  for 
which  we  are  supposed  to  work. 

They  prevent  broad  and  progressive  teaching, 
and  make  of  the  teacher  a  "grind."  Every  teacher 
who  is  to  be  judged  by  the  results  of  the  final  test, 
must  get  into  rut  work  and  turn  out  machine 
pupils.  ~No  time  can  be  spent  in  securing  the  clear 
explanation,  the  logical  analysis,  the  useful  and  in- 


PROMOTION  OF  PUPILS.  81 

teresting  knowledge ;  all  these  must  be  left  behind; 
all  are  neglected  for  that  which  will  pay  in  exami- 
nation percentage.  These  examinations,  consisting 
of  a  definite  number  of  questions  adapted  to  numer- 
ical marking,  can  never  be  satisfactory,  for  they  are 
nothing  more  than  an  attempt  to  measure  mental 
activity  by  mechanical  means.  Being  of  necessity 
one-sided  and  narrow,  they  will  be  followed  by  nar- 
row teaching;  for  the  character  of  the  examination 
determines  the  character  of  the  work  necessary  to 
prepare  for  the  examination. 

What  knowledge  the  children  do  possess,  if  it 
may  be  called  knowledge,  has  been  forced  by  the 
hurried  committing  of  "possible  questions,"  "point- 
ers,"' "tips,"  and  "one-word  answers,"  which  cannot 
be  understood  or  retained.  As  with  the  stomach, 
so  with  the  mind;  not  that  which  enters,  but  that 
which  is  digested  and  assimilated,  strengthens  and 
develops.  Over-loading  either  the  stomach  or  the 
mind  leads  to  indigestion,  disgust  and  nausea.  Is 
it  any  wonder  that  so  early  many  take  a  dislike  to 
all  learning  and  therefore  study  only  what  they 
must?  What  teacher  does  not  know  of  many 
whom  the  fear  of  examination  has  driven  out  of 
school  ?  How  often  the  teacher's  anxiety  about  the 
final  averages  of  the  poor  pupils  causes  him  to  urge 
that  they  be  removed  to  a  lower  grade,  or  quietly 
forced  out  of  school.  Could  the  teacher  have  felt 


82  TEE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

that  he  would  not  be  judged  by  the  "finals,"  he 
would  have  been  glad  to  have  had  them  remain  and 
learn  what  they  could. 

Final  examinations  tend  to  much  unnecessary 
drudgery  on  the  part  of  the  pupils  and  teachers, 
and  cause  many  mental  wrecks.  The  pupils  know 
that,  no  matter  what  the  condition  of  their  health, 
a  failure  at  this  time  means  utter  failure ;  means  the 
spending  of  another  year  in  going  over  the  same 
work.  That  strength  and  blood  which  should  go 
to  build  up  body  and  brain  is  therefore  expended  in 
senseless  over-pressure.  By  insensible  degrees  the 
physical  powers  of  the  nervous  pupils  are  under- 
mined, and  they  fail  to  be  promoted,  while  their 
scheming  classmates,  who  worry  over  nothing  and 
have  been  wasting  time  during  the  year,  because 
of  self-confidence  and  little  regard  for  what  is  right, 
by  hook  or  crook,  manage  to  get  the  answers  and 
pass.  Few,  except  conscientious  teachers  and 
anxious  parents,  can  realize  the  dreadful  results  of 
the  mental  strain  upon  nervous  temperaments. 

The  pupils  who  have  been  absent,  or  who  for  any 
other  reason  are  unable  to  swallow  the  mass  of  indi- 
gestible material  catechised  into  the  rest,  fail,  even 
though  their  ability  to  do  the  work  in  the  next 
grade  is  far  above  that  of  those  who  get  the  answers. 
Surely  the  question  to  be  asked  concerning  the  pro- 
motion of  a  child  is  not,  What  answers  can  he  get? 


PROMOTION  OF  PUPILS.  83 

but,  Has  he  the  ability  to  do  the  work  in  the  next 
grade?  For  it  is  indeed  a  serious  thing  for  a  child 
to  lose  a  year  in  school.  Little  wonder  that  almost 
invariably  their  faculties  are  deadened  and  their 
ambition  destroyed  by  such  failure. 

The  effect  upon  character-building  of  the  great 
temptation  to  deceit  and  cheating,  and  the  increase 
in  number  of  the  cases  of  corporal  punishment,  are 
not  the  least  objections  that  may  be  raised.  All 
must  agree  that  their  tendency  is  to  develop  and 
foster  deceit,  jealousy  and  selfishness  on  the  part  of 
the  pupils;  and  dishonesty,  scolding  and  irritability 
on  the -part  of  the  teacher.  How  often  the  child  is 
punished  by  the  tired,  overworked  teacher,  because 
of  the  dread  that  he  may  not  be  able  to  make  a 
good  showing  in  examination!  Punished  for  not 
doing  what  perhaps  he  could  not  do,  and,  more  than 
likely,  what  would  be  best  undone ! 

The  time  spent  is  one-third  more  than  is  neces- 
sary to  give  as  much  useful  knowledge  and  more 
educational  training.  This  statement  is  made  ad- 
visedly, for  experience  proves  that  often  almost 
one-half  of  the  time  is  spent  in  loading  up  for  the 
examination.  In  fact,  in  some  instances,  all  the 
time  is  spent  in  "stuffing"  for  finals.  Some 
light  on  the  subject  is  given  in  a  late  issue  of 
the  Illinois  School  Journal  when  it  says:  "The 
text-books  are  divided  into  so  many  lessons  for  each 


84  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

month,  and  the  monthly  examination  questions  sent 
out  by  the  superintendent   adhere    rigidly  to  the 
month's  work.     The  pupils  pass  high,  for  they  are 
practically  drilled  upon  the  answers  to  the  questions 
during  the  month  which  were  to  be  asked  at  the 
end  of  it,  and  credit  is  given  for  half-answers  and 
quarter-answers,    even    to    tenths.     A  number  of 
county  superintendents  in  Illinois,  and  if  rumor 
may  be  credited,  in  some  neighboring  states,  have 
improved  upon  this  so  far  as  to  farm  out  the  mak- 
ing of  these  questions  to  an  outline  vender,  who 
furnishes  the  questions  to  the  superintendent  on 
condition  that  the  superintendent  will  use  his  influ- 
ence and  authority  in  selling  to  the  teachers  the 
vender's  outlines.    This  works  well  for  both  vender 
and  superintendent.     The   one   finds   a  profitable 
market  for  his  wares,  and  the  other  is  relieved  of  the 
necessity  of  knowing  anything  about  the  instruc- 
tion given  in  the  schools.    The  pupils  pass  high  and 
the  hoodwinked  parents  are  pleased,  while  the  in- 
telligent and  conscientious  teacher  protests — sotto 
voce.     This  is  the  iron  rule  of  mechanism  by  which 
pupils  are  educated  by  the  dozen,  or  by  the  com- 
pany, or  by  the  regiment,  as  conditions  may  deter- 
mine." 

But,  perhaps  the  greatest  objection  to  final  ex- 
aminations is  because  of  their  tendency  to  elimi- 
nate the  personal  element,  and  to  make  it  impossible 


PROMOTION  OF  PUPILS.  85 

to  respect,  to  any  degree,  the  individual  capacity  of 
the  pupil.  So  long  as  they  remain,  so  long  will 
the  serious  charge,  that  "the  public  school  machin- 
ery requires  uniformity  in  every  child,"  be  well 
founded,  if  not  unanswerable.  So  long  will  the 
grades  be  ironclad,  as  they  endeavor  to  overcome 
not  only  the  difference  of  temperament  and  home 
advantages,  but  even  the  difference  in  mental  abil- 
ity, which  is  predetermined.  Remove  this  cause 
of  the  present  system  of  grading,  and  you  make  it 
possible  to  grade  the  schools  in  accordance  with  the 
ability  of  the  individual  child,  rather  than  accord- 
ing to  the  supposed  "average  ability  of  the  school" 
of  fifty  or  sixty !  All  must  agree  that  fifty  children 
can  no  more  be  held  together  in  mental  develop- 
ment than  in  physical  growth!  Why  then  must  it 
be  attempted?  Have  not  the  scholars  been  fitted 
to  the  schools  long  enough?  Is  it  not  time  to  adapt 
the  grades  to  the  scholars?  That  this  is  being  un- 
derstood is  shown  by  the  criticism  of  many  leading 
journals. 

If  the  above  reasons  are  not  satisfactory,  it  may 
be  asserted,  without  fear  of  successful  contradic- 
tion, that  for  the  purpose  of  estimating  the  ability 
of  the  children  or  of  determining  their  power  to 
do  the  work  of  advanced  grades,  examinations  are 
useless  and  superfluous.  Every  teacher  worthy  of 


86  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

the  name  and  place  knows  long  before  the  exami- 
nation what  its  result  should  be. 

REMEDIES  FOR  THE  EXAMINATION  EVILS. 

The  following  statements  of  Dr.  E.  E.  White 
should  have  great  weight  with  those  who  are  seek- 
ing light  on  this  problem,  for  he  has  made  a  careful 
study  of  this  whole  subject  and  is  acknowledged  to 
be  one  of  the  highest  authorities  on  this  and  other 
pedagogical  questions: 

"For  years  past  thoughtful  superintendents  and 
teachers  have  been  earnestly  devising  plans  to 
lessen  the  evils  of  the  examination  system,  and,  as 
a  complete  remedy  for  these  evils,  a  few  have  seen 
their  way  clear  to  abolish  the  system  itself. 

"These  efforts  have  taken  different  directions,  the 
aim  of  one  -device  being  to  relieve  the  'terrible  pres- 
sure of  examinations;'  of  another,  to  free  instruc- 
tion and  study  from  their  grooving  and  mechanical 
influence;  of  a  third,  to  prevent  'vicious  cramming;' 
of  a  fourth,  to  remove  occasions  for  dishonesty,  and 
so  on." 

After  discussing  several  methods,  which  have 
been  tried  in  order  to  mitigate  the  acknowledged 
evils,  he  continues  as  follows:  "These  several  ex- 
pedients are  remedies  to  cure  the  brood  of  ills  born 
of  the  examination  system.  And  this  raises  the 
practical  question,  Why  not  remove  the  cause  of 


PROMOTION  OF  PUPILS.  87 

these  ills  and  thus  obviate  the  necessity  of  their  cor- 
rection? "Why  not  make  the  pupils'  success  in 
daily  work  the  only  factor  in  their  promotion?" 
"No  one  has  studied  this  question  more  closely  than 
has  Dr.  White.  This  is  his  conclusion.  Is  it  not 
to  be  regretted  that  more  have  not  acted  in  accord- 
ance with  his  wise  suggestion?  Does  it  not  seem 
almost  past  belief  that  he  was  obliged  to  say  that 
only  "A  few  have  seen  their  way  clear  to  abolish 
the  system  itself?" 

THE    TEACHER'S    ESTIMATE    SHOULD    DETERMINE 
PROMOTION. 

The  promotion  examination  having  been  aban- 
doned, the  teacher's  estimate  of  the  pupil's  ability 
should  determine  his  promotion.  This  estimate 
should  be  shown  on  monthly  report  cards,  so  that 
pupils  and  parents  may  know  monthly  what  pro- 
gress has  been  made.  In  the  primary  grades,  the 
teacher's  judgment  should  be  sufficient.  In  the 
higher  grades,  the  teacher's  judgment  should  be 
made  more  certain  by  written  tests.  This  will  put 
a  premium  on  the  daily  work  and  will  furnish  a 
moderate,  but  continuous  stimulus  rather  than  an 
excessive  and  spasmodic  goad,  as  is  the  case  with 
examinations.  Tests  given  by  the  principal  and 
superintendent  should  show  the  proper  completion 
of  word,  and  be  used  to  direct  and  broaden  the  in- 


S8  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

struction,  but  should  have  nothing  to  do  with  pro- 
motion. Pupils  promoted  prematurely  may  be  re- 
turned whence  they  came,  and  teachers  will  be  more 
careful  thereafter. 

Some  will  say  that  the  teaching  test  is  but  an- 
other name  for  the  promotion  examination,  but  a 
moment's  thought  will  show  that  there  is  great  dif- 
ference between  the  two.  The  one  is  a  careful  di- 
agnosis at  frequent  intervals  for  the  purpose  of  dis- 
covering the  disease  in  its  incipiency,  that  the 
proper  remedies  may  be  arvnlied  and  the  patient 
saved.  The  other  is  a  blundering  post-mortem,  to 
determine  the  cause  of  death.  Most  of  us  would 
have  no  trouble  in  choosing  between  the  two. 

TOO  MUCH  POWER  IN  THE  HANDS  OF  PRINCIPALS 
AND  TEACHERS. 

Some  superintendents  say  that  this  is  putting  too 
much  power  in  the  hands  of  the  teachers  and  prin- 
cipals; but  is  not  that  just  where  it  properly  be- 
longs? Should  not  both  be  free  to  work,  as  con- 
scientious men  and  women,  for  the  best  interests  of 
the  children,  rather  than  be  compelled  to  continue 
to  be  mere  cogs  in  the  great  machine  run  by  the  al- 
mighty superintendent?  "Who  would  not  prefer  to 
have  his  child's  ability  to  pass  to  advanced  work 
judged  by  the  ever-present  teacher,  who  had 
studied  the  child,  rather  than  by  the  superintendent 


PROMOTION  OF  PUPILS.  89 

who,  of  necessity,  must  be  without  knowledge  of 
the  individual?  Many  quotations  might  be  given 
to  prove  that  those  who  have  had  experience  with 
this  or  a  similar  plan,  agree  that  never  before  were 
promotions  made  so  satisfactorily.  That  never  be- 
fore did  teachers  study  the  individuals  so  closely. 

TIME  AND  FREQUENCY  OF  PROMOTION. 
Ill  what  has  been  written,  the  word  "promotion" 
has  been  used  in  its  generally  accepted  sense,  im- 
plying a  change  from  one  room  to  the  next 
higher,  and  generally  involving  a  change  of  teach- 
ers. For  the  best  development  of  the  pupils'  men- 
tal* moral  and  physical  powers,  the  teachers  must 
know  the  individual  characteristics  and  fully  under- 
stand all  the  forces  which  influence  their  education, 
opportunities  and  character.  Than  this  nothing  is 
more  important,  though  it  requires  time  and  careful 
study.  For  this  and  other  reasons,  it  is  the  general 
conviction  of  educators  that  it  is  best  for  pupils  to 
remain  several  months  under  the  same  teacher,  if 
by  so  doing  they  are  not  compelled  to  work  with 
those  of  different  attainments  and  ability.  There- 
fore, serious  objections  have  been  made  to  those 
plans  of  grading  which  provide  for  periodic  promo- 
tions several  times  each  year.  Indeed,  the  objec- 
tions have  been  so  strongly  presented  that,  though 
two  or  three  cities  have  used  this  plan  for  many 


90  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

years,  it  has  not  been  adopted  by  others.  Chang- 
ing teachers  several  times  each  year  not  only  inter- 
feres with  progress  in  school  work,  but,  what  is  in- 
finitely more  important,  it  has  a  blighting  influence 
upon  the  developing  characters. 

The  term,  promotion,  is  also  used  to  indi- 
cate the  passage  from  any  school  work  to  more  ad- 
vanced work.  This  meaning  of  the  word  seems  to 
be  the  better  one ;  for  a  change  from  one  room  to  a 
higher  is  no  greater  advancement  than  the  passing 
from  one  division  of  a  subject  to  the  next  higher 
part.  In  this  sense  of  the  word,  there  should  be 
daily  promotion,  for  each  lesson  should  be  a  little 
advance  over  the  preceding  one.  A  pupil's  ad- 
vancement should  be  constant,  and  when  any 
scholar  cannot  work  with  his  classmates  he  should 
be  reclassified  and  placed  with  those  of  about  equal 
advancement.  When  the  pupils  of  any  class  finish 
any  portion  of  the  work  they  should  immediately 
advance  to  the  next  in  order.  All  must  acknowl- 
edge that  any  plan  of  grading  which  does  not  per- 
mit this,  is  not  only  unsatisfactory,  but  is  criminally 
defective  and  unworthy  of  an  enlightened  age. 
The  importance  of  permitting  pupils  to  go  forward 
when  ready  has  been  presented  in  previous  chap- 
ters, but  its  absolute  necessity  cannot  be  represented 
too  often  nor  too  forcibly. 


Chapter  X, 


APPORTIONMENT  OF  WORK. 

Perhaps  the  greatest  weakness  of  our  schools 
may  be  found  in  the  method  of  apportioning  the 
work.  Indeed,  it  passes  all  power  of  comprehension 
to  understand  why,  for  hundreds  of  years,  little  or 
no  provision  has  been  made  for  the  great  differences 
known  to  exist  in  the  ability  of  different  classes, 
pupils  and  teachers. 

An  all-important  feature  of  a  rational  plan  of 
grading  must  be  a  provision  that  will  enable  each 
division  of  pupils  to  go  just  as  fast  as  the  teacher 
finds  the  pupils  are  able  to  accomplish  the  work  as  it 
should  be  done.  No  fixed  amount  of  work  should 
be  demanded  of  any  class  within  a  given  time. 
"With  but  few,  if  any  exceptions,  all  graded  schools 
have  the  work  so  apportioned  that  a  fixed  amount 
of  the  course  must  be  finished  by  the  end  of  the 
term  or  year.  This  is  a  serious  error.  Without 
uniformity  of  conditions,  it  demands  uniformity  of 
results,  and  makes  the  time  limit  the  same  for  all,  no 
matter  how  widely  the  pupils,  classes  and  teachers 


92  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

differ.  Is  this  not  an  unpardonable  pedagogical 
sin?  Is  it  not  absolutely  defenceless  on  any 
psychological  grounds?  In  all  frankness,  does  it 
not  indicate  the  lack  of  the  commonest  kind  of  com- 
mon sense?  These  seem  to  be  harsh  questions,  but 
does  not  the  occasion  justify  plain  talk?  Who  will 
give  any  good  reason  for  "nailing  the  course  of 
study  to  the  calendar"  ?  Why  should  advancement 
to  suitable  work  be  determined  by  the  time  of  year? 
Why  should  some  pupils  stop  their  work,  though 
uncompleted,  simply  because  others  have  fin- 
ished it? 

If  one  starts  on  a  journey,  he  should  not  leave 
the  train  when  the  schedule  says  the  time  has  ar- 
rived for  him  to  reach  the  end  of  his  journey;  but 
he  should  leave  the  train  when  he  arrives  at  his 
destination,  whether  that  be  after  or  before  the 
time  fixed  by  the  one  who  made  the  schedule.  The 
person  who  would  insist  upon  having  everyone 
leave  the  train  at  the  time  scheduled  for  its  arriving 
at  the  destination,  would  soon  reach  the  asylum 
where  all  such  should  be  confined.  Why  then 
should  Boards  of  Education,  superintendents  or 
others,  who  make  the  schedules  for  schools,  expect 
teachers  to  drive  pupils  through  the  course  of  study 
at  a  certain  fixed  rate,  in  spite  of  many  different 
determining  factors? 


APPORTIONMENT  OF  WORK.  93 

THE  INJUSTICE  OF  THE  USUAL  METHOD  NOW  AC- 
KNOWLEDGED. 

At  last  some  educators  are  beginning  to  realize 
the  injustice  of  the  usual  method  of  apportioning 
the  work.  In  speaking  of  this  matter,  a  writer  in 
the  latest  issue  of  the  "Illinois  School  Journal" 
said: 

"One  of  the  strangest  things  in  the  history  of 
educational  practice  is  that  it  should  have  occurred 
to  some  mechanical  genius  that  the  work  of  a  school 
curriculum  could  be  divided  into  distinct  sections, 
so  that  it  would  take  just  so  many  days,  hours,  min- 
utes, ^and  seconds  to  complete  the  work  of  each  sec- 
tion; and  that  the  pupils  in  a  school  could  be 
grouped  into  classes  corresponding  to  these  sections, 
so  that  they  would  move  forward  at  a  uniform  rate, 
separated  by  fixed  intervals,  in  what  has  been  ap- 
propriately called  The  lock-step  of  the  graded 
school.'*  It  is  much  more  strange  that  this  me- 
chanical monstrosity  should  have  found  favor 
among  teachers  and  people,  and  that  it  should  have 
been  indorsed  by  the  almost  universal  practice  of  a 
generation.  Unfortunately  this  chapter  in  modern 
educational  history  is  not  yet  closed.  There  are 
still  schools  in  which  the  work  of  each  class  for  each 
day  in  each  year  of  school  life  is  as  definitely  pre- 
scribed as  though  fixed  by  the  eternal  decrees  of 

•See  author's  article  on  this  subject  in  "Atlantic  Monthly," 
June,  '97. 


94  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

Fate.  On  the  seventeenth  day  of  his  seventh  year 
in  school  the  boy's  lesson  in  arithmetic  will  be  that 
portion  of  Ray's  Practical  Arithmetic  limited  by 
pages  172  and  175.  This  is  the  doctrine  of  'fore- 
ordination'  carried  to  an  absurd  extreme! 

"The  fixed  class  interval  is  a  crime  against  child- 
hood, and  when  coupled  with  a  scheme  of  promo- 
tions based  upon  a  system  of  examinations,  daily 
markings,  and  required  percentages,  it  constitutes  a 
fearful  indictment  of  modern  school  practice.  It 
makes  little  difference  whether  Superintendent 
Shearer  or  some  other  observer  was  the  first  to  see 
this  spot  on  the  sun.  It  is  large  enough  to  be  seen 
with  even  half  an  eye.  It  is  possible  that  many 
have  observed  it  and  guarded  themselves  against  its 
malign  influence  by  some  device  or  other.  The 
size  of  the  interval  is  not  the  worst  thing  about  it, 
though  the  shorter  the  better.  The  worst  feature 
lies  in  fixedness.  You  cannot  keep  the  carriages  in 
a  funeral  procession  at  fixed  intervals.  Divide  any 
number  of  children  into  classes  to-day,  and  they 
will  not  be  properly  divided  to-morrow.  Neither 
the  members  in  a  class  nor  the  classes  in  a  school 
can  move  forward  at  a  uniform  rate.  Differences 
in  the  natural  and  acquired  aptitude  of  pupils  and 
in  the  skill  of  teachers,  to  say  nothing  of  many 
other  differences  in  condition,  make  this  impossible. 
To  insist  upon  it  is  to  benumb  the  strong,  to  befud- 


APPORTIONMENT  OF  WORK.  95 

die  the  weak,  and  to  weaken  all.  If  necessary,  this 
outrageous  custom  must  be  attacked  with  sledge- 
hammer and  dynamite,  and  destroyed." 

In  a  late  issue  of  "The  Educational  Review,"  Dr. 
Prince,  Secretary  of  the  Massachusetts  Board  of 
Education,  speaks  as  follows  upon  this  subject: 

"There  is  no  question  of  school  organization  at 
present  more  important  than  that  of  a  proper  ad- 
justment of  conditions  to  the  needs  of  individual 
pupils.  The  assumption  upon  which  most  courses 
of  study  seem  to  be  based,  that  just  so  much  ground 
must  be  gone  over  with  equal  thoroughness  by  all 
pupils  in  the  same  time,  is  the  greatest  bane  of  our 
public  school  system.  The  courses  in  use  are  prob- 
ably intended  to  meet  the  needs  and  capacity  of  pu- 
pils of  average  ability.  Such,  however,  is  the  dif- 
ference of  ability  between  the  brightest  third  and 
the  dullest  third  of  almost  every  class  of  pupils,  that 
the  work  this  requires  is  enfeebling  to  one  part 
while  it  is  discouraging  or  unduly  excessive  to  the 
other.  To  neither  group  is  there  the  stimulus  of 
success  with  effort.  To  one  group  there  is  success 
without  effort;  to  the  other  there  is  effort  without 
success.  The  difficulty,  it  is  feared,  is  enhanced  by 
the  want  of  ability  or  inclination  on  the  part  of 
many  teachers  to  adapt  each  lesson's  requirements 
to  the  capacity  of  individual  members  of  the  class. 

"There  are  some  signs  of  reaction  against  a  sys- 


96  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

tern  which  encourages  or  permits  a  dead  uniformity 
of  ability  and  effort.  The  only  fear  is  that  the  op- 
posite extreme  of  individualism  will  be  sought  as  a 
remedy.  As  between  the  practice  by  which  forty 
or  fifty  pupils  of  all  degrees  of  ability  are  required 
to  do  the  same  work  with  nearly  equal  efficiency, 
and  a  return  to  individual  teaching  such  as  was  car- 
ried on  in  ungraded  schools  forty  years  ago,  there 
is  but  little  choice,  although  the  ill  effects  of  the 
two  practices  must  be  felt  in  widely  different  ways. 
But  a  choice  between  these  extremes  of  practice 
ought  not  to  be  necessary.  No  more  useful  service 
can  be  rendered  the  public  schools  than  that  of  de- 
vising ways  by  which  the  benefits  of  a  class  system 
of  teaching  will  be  secured,  and  at  the  same  time 
such  an  adjustment  of  work  be  made  as  will  permit 
pupils  of  varied  abilities  to  do  the  most  for  them- 
selves." 

COURSE  OF  STUDY  NECESSARY. 
Courses  of  study  we  must  have,  and  perhaps  it 
is  even  necessary  to  give  all  pupils  the  same  drill  in 
grammar,  the  same  exercise  in  arithmetic,  and  the 
same  number  of  miles  of  writing.  But  no  effort 
should  be  made  to  give  all  the  same  amount  in  the 
same  time,  regardless  of  the  differences  between 
them.  While,  under  the  system  of  grading  herein 
explained,  pupils  are  required  to  do  thoroughly  all 
the  essential  work  before  passing  to  advanced  work, 


APPORTIONMENT  OF  WORK.  97 

pupils  and  teachers  know  that  they  are  not  ex- 
pected to  finish  it  in  a  shorter  time  than  is  required 
to  do  it  satisfactorily.  The  consequent  relief  to 
the  teacher  is  as  great  as  the  benefit  to  the  pupil. 
Many  a  faithful  teacher  endures  a  terrible  strain 
for  years,  lest  he  be  blamed  if  all  his  pupils  do  not 
finish  the  given  course  in  a  fixed  time.  One 
teacher  expressed  a  common  sentiment  as  follows: 
"It  seemed  as  if  this  plan  had  raised  from 
my  shoulders  a  terrible  load  which  threatened  to 
crush  me.  I  knew  that  it  was  an  outrage  to  drive 
some  of  the  pupils  as  I  was  obliged  to  drive  them, 
but  what  was  I  to  do?  I  was  told  that  by  June  all 
had  to  be  ready  for  the  examinations.  ISTow  my 
task  is  a  very  much  more  pleasant  and  satisfactory 
one.  I  am  no  longer  forced  to  be  a  pupil-driver, 
but  I  can  be  a  teacher  in  the  true  sense  of  the  word; 
and  school  is,  to  pupils  and  to  teacher,  an  entirely 
different  sort  of  place."  It  is  time  that  blame  for 
many  failures  be  taken  from  teachers  and  princi- 
pals, and  placed  on  the  shoulders  of  those  who  are 
responsible  for  the  system.  Let  them  bear  this 
great  responsibility. 


Chapter  XL 


METHOD  OF  SECURING  THOROUGHNESS 
IN  ESSENTIALS. 

DEVICES. 

Years  of  experience  in  striving  to  work  out  and 
make  practicable  a  more  flexible  plan  of  grading 
have  developed  certain  devices  which  have  proved 
of  great  value.  In  the  following  chapters  several 
of  these  devices  will  be  explained,  in  the  hope  and 
belief  that  they  will  be  helpful  to  all  who  endeavor 
to  follow  any  such  plan  as  that  which  has  been  out- 
lined in  previous  chapters.  Some  devices  will  ap- 
pear of  much  greater  importance  than  others,  and 
each  person  will  be  led  to  make  use  of  those  which 
seem  likely  to  be  of  greatest  service  in  securing  the 
desired  ends.  They  are  so  simple  that  they  can 
easily  be  made  use  of  by  anyone  who  feels  the  need 
of  such.  While  their  simplicity  may  lead  some  to 
doubt  their  efficiency,  a  careful  trial  will  prove 
them  to  be  far  more  useful  than  they  at  first  appear. 


SECURING  THOROUGHNESS  IN  ESSENTIAL.      99 

RECORD  OF  WORK  DONE. 

For  the  purpose  of  making  sure  that  the  work 
has  been  done  satisfactorily,  the  "Record  of  Work 
Done"  has  proved  of  great  service.  Under  the 
usual  plan  the  pupils  are  all  expected  to  be  at  a  cer- 
tain point  by  the  time  fixed;  and  whether  or  not  the 
work  has  been  done  in  a  satisfactory  manner  is  sup- 
posed to  be  determined  by  the  examinations. 
Under  the  plan  advocated,  pupils  are  permitted  to 
go  just  as  far  and  as  fast  as  they  can  finish  the  work 
to  the  satisfaction  of  the  teacher.  Therefore, 
classes  will  not  reach  any  given  point  by  a  certain 
time,  and  they  cannot  be  tested  by  uniform  exami- 
nations at  times  arbitrarily  determined.  This  pecu- 
liarity of  the  plan  requires  that  some  other  method 
be  used  for  making  sure  that  the  work  has  been 
done  properly.  Some  device  must  be  used  which 
will  enable  the  superintendent  and  principal  to 
know  just  what  work  has  been  accomplished,  and 
just  how  well  the  work  has  been  done  by  each  class. 

With  plenty  of  time  at  the  disposal  of  the  super- 
intendent and  principal,  this  important  knowledge 
may  best  be  gained  by  frequent  visits  for  the  pur- 
pose of  carefully  inspecting  the  work.  However, 
there  are  many  who  are  expected  to  know  exactly 
what  is  being  done,  yet  are  kept  so  busy  with  other 
duties  that  they  have  but  little  time  left  for  the 
work  of  supervision.  For  these,  as  well  as  for 


100  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

others,  the  "Record  of  "Work  Done"  will  prove  an 
excellent  method  of  following  the  work  more 
closely  than  would  be  possible  without  some  similar 
device.  This  record  should  be  made  out  by  each 
teacher  every  two  or  three  months,  and  should  state 
briefly  and  concisely  just  what  work  has  been  fin- 
ished to  the  satisfaction  of  the  teacher  during  the 
time  for  which  the  record  is  made.  This  record 
should  be  sent  to  the  principal  for  his  approval. 
After  being  approved  by  the  principal,  the  records 
sent  by  all  the  teachers  should  be  entered  in  a  book 
provided  for  that  purpose.  This  book  should  be 
sent  to  the  superintendent  for  his  inspection,  that 
he  may  know  just  what  part  of  the  course  has  been 
covered  by  each  class.  He  should  satisfy  himself 
that  no  class  has  received  credit  for  work  which  has 
not  been  done  satisfactorily.  By  this  means  the 
principal  can  quickly  discover  any  teacher  who  is 
disposed  to  pass  too  hurriedly  over  important  parts 
of  the  work,  and  can  have  the  work  reviewed  before 
injury  results  from  its  incomplete,  unsatisfactory 
condition.  He  should  also  see  that  the  same 
mistake  is  not  made  again  by  that  teacher. 
The  tests  given  by  superintendent  and  principal 
should  be  used  to  show  the  proper  completion  of 
work;  they  should  also  be  used  to  broaden  the  in- 
struction and  emphasize  the  important  phases  of 
the  work  which  teachers  may  overlook:  but  they 


SECURING  THOROUGHNESS  IN  ESSENTIALS.    101 

should  not  be  used  as  a  basis  for  determining  the 
promotion  of  pupils.  As  all  tests  will  be  only  on 
what  the  teacher  claims  to  have  taught  thoroughly, 
the  very  best  results  may  reasonably  be  expected 
from  them. 

While  it  is  not  well  to  insist  upon  great 
thoroughness  at  every  point,  there  are  important 
parts  in  essential  subjects  upon  which  too  much 
stress  cannot  well  be  laid.  There  are  some  things 
upon  which  future  progress  depends.  These,  at 
least,  should  be  stamped  indelibly  upon  the  minds 
of  the  children.  The  failure  to  locate  these  im- 
portant points,  and  drill  upon  them,  has  been  the 
cause  of  the  majority  of  failures  on  the  part  of  those 
who  have  been  passed  to  advanced  work.  Every 
teacher  of  experience  knows  that  a  large  portion  of 
his  time  is  expended  in  trying  to  teach  what  should 
have  been  thoroughly  taught  before  the  pupils  were 
admitted  to  his  grade  of  work.  When  it  is  seen 
that  the  "Record  of  Work"  may  be  so  managed 
under  this  plan  as  to  make  it  certain  that  only  those 
who  are  prepared  for  advanced  work  are  promoted, 
the  importance  of  it  becomes  apparent  to  every 
teacher  of  experience. 

To  show  more  clearly  the  form  of  the  "Record  of 
Work,"  a  few  extracts  are  taken  from  the  records 
made  by  teachers  of  different  classes.  Though  the 
pupils  were  closely  graded  at  the  beginning  of  the 


LIBRA*  * 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
SANTA  BARBAUA 


102  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

year,  the  record  proves  that,  before  they  had  been 
in  school  long,  they  naturally  separated  into  groups 
which  moved  at  different  rates.  A  consideration 
of  such  records  leads  one  to  wonder  that,  for  many 
years,  teachers  have  been  expected  to  take  all  over 
the  same  work  in  a  given  time.  It  will  also  show 
the  great  injustice  to  the  pupils,  and  the  still  greater 
injustice  to  the  teachers,  many  of  whom  have  been 
condemned  because  they  could  not  accomplish  the 
task  of  making  all  the  pupils  of  a  class  seem  to 
cover  the  same  amount  of  the  course.  That  the 
pupils  did  not  do  so,  is  well  known  to  all.  How  so 
many  teachers  were  able  to  make  it  appear  that 
they  had  done  so,  is  not  known  by  many  who  have 
not  worked  in  the  ranks.  The  terrible  strain  upon 
the  teachers  and  pupils  is  appreciated  only  by  those 
who  have  exhausted  devices,  patience  and  energy  in 
unmercifully  driving  some  and  continually  holding 
others  back. 

Records  of  First  Year's  Work. 

"A  Class — Reading:  Eighty  pages  in  Funden- 
berg's  First  Reader;  one  hundred  and  twenty-two 
in  Swinton's  First;  one  hundred  and  five  pages  in 
Lippiucott's  First  Supplementary  Reader.  Total, 
about  three  hundred  and  fifty  pages. 

"B  Division — Eighty  pages  in  Fundenberg's  First 
Reader;  ninety-six  pages  in  Swinton's  First;  forty 


SECURING  THOROUGHNESS  IN  ESSENTIALS.   103 

pages  in  Lippincott's.     Total,  two  hundred  and  six- 
teen pages. 

"C  Division — Sixty-two  pages  in  Fundenberg's 
First.  Many  of  these  pupils  were  out  for  a  time 
with  the  measles.  Others  entered  during  the  year. 
A  few  are  naturally  slow. 

"D  Division — Reading  from  blackboard  and  a 
few  pages  from  Fundenberg.  Most  of  the  pupils 
in  this  class  were  either  absent  most  of  the  year  or 
entered  but  a  short  time  before  the  end  of  the  year. 
There  are  no  really  dull  ones. 

"There  are  from  ten  to  fourteen  in  each  division. 
Some  have  changed  divisions  during  the  year. 
Being  permitted  to  allow  pupils  to  go  as  fast  as  they 
were*  able  has  made  teaching  more  of  a  pleasure 
than  it  has  been  at  any  time  during  the  past  twenty 
years. 

"In  Number  Work  the  different  divisions  fin- 
ished satisfactorily  the  combinations  of  numbers  to 
ten,  eight,  and  four." 

Records  of  Another  First  Year. 

"A  Division — Reading:  Three  hundred  and 
fifty-seven  pages  of  different  first  readers. 

"B  Division — Two  hundred  and  seventy-seven 
pages. 

"C  Division — One  hundred  and  eighty-three 
pages. 

"The  pupils  who  were  not  able  to  keep  up  with 
the  lowest  division  were  sent  to  a  lower  class,  which 
was  opened  in  January.  There  were  about  twenty 


104  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

changes  from  division  to  division,  but  they  were 
made  in  such  a  way  as  to  help  rather  than  hinder 
my  work. 

"In  Number  "Work  A  Division  finished  the  com- 
binations of  numbers  to  twelve;  the  B  Division  to 
nine;  and  the  C  Division  to  six.  There  were  twen- 
ty-two pupils  in  A;  eleven  in  B;  and  eighteen 
inC." 

Records  of  First  Year's  Work. 

"A  Division — Reading:  Completed  Appleton's 
Primer,  Swinton's  Primer,  Finch  Primer,  Funden- 
berg's  First  Reader,  and  fifty  pages  of  Ward's  First 
Reader. 

"B  Division — Completed  Appleton's  Primer, 
thirty-five  pages  in  Fundenberg,  and  twenty  in 
Finch's  Primer. 

"C  Division — Read  from  blackboard,  and  also 
about  fifteen  pages  in  Fundenberg's  First  Reader. 

''Each  division  contains  about  fifteen.  Advanced 
division  was  promoted  to  next  grade  before  end  of 
year.  I  had  two  additional  divisions,  but  they 
merged  into  the  three  in  a  short  time.  Seventeen 
pupils  gained  from  two  to  three  months'  time." 

Record  of  Second  Year's  Work. 

"A  Division — Reading:  Completed  Alternate 
First,  Normal  Course  First  and  McGuffey's  Second. 

"B  Division — Parts  of  Alternate  First  Reader 
and  McGuffey's  Second. 

"C  Division — Parts  of  Franklin  and  Alternate 
First  Readers. 


SECURING  THOROUGHNESS  IN  ESSENTIALS.    105 

"A  Division — Arithmetic:  Rapid  addition  of 
numbers  as  high  as  twenty.  Addition,  Subtraction, 
^Notation  and  Numeration. 

ICB  Division — ^Numbers  to  fifteen.  Addition  and 
Subtraction. 

"Quite  a  number  of  the  pupils  were  received 
from  the  lower  classes.  A  Division  contained 
thirty;  the  other  divisions  contained  eight  or  ten 
each.  Diphtheria  kept  many  out  of  school  and 
when  they  did  return  they  were  not  permitted  to 
work  hard.  Some  had  much  trouble  with  their 
eyes,  which  were  weak  after  pupils  had  had  scarlet 
fever.  Some  should  not  have  returned  to  school 
until  ^they  were  stronger,  but  care  was  taken  to 
place  them  where  they  would  not  be  injured. 
Without  being  hurried,  the  pupils  in  this  class  have 
gained  one  hundred  and  fourteen  months'  time. 
Twenty-four  have  been  promoted  irregularly,  in- 
volving a  change  of  teacher.  They  have  been  ben- 
efited by  sixty-three  reclassifications,  which  in- 
volved a  change  in  divisions,  but  no  change  of 
teacher.  Changes  were  made  only  when  teacher 
and  principal  found  them  necessary  to  keep  pupils 
working  with  those  of  about  equal  ability." 

Record  from  Seventh  Year's  Work. 

"A  Division — Arithmetic:  Review  of  previous 
year's  work.  Percentage,  Interest,  Bank  Discount, 
Duties,  Customs,  Taxes,  Longitude  and  Time, 
Ratio  and  Proportion,  Partnership  and  Square 
Root. 


106  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

"B  Division — Same  as  A  Division,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  last  four  topics. 

"0  Division — Common  and  Decimal  Fractions, 
Percentage,  Interest,  and  Discount. 

'*'A  Division — Grammar:  All  parts  of  Speech 
excepting  Participles,  Analysis  of  simple,  com- 
pound and  complex  sentences,  and  Composition 
Work. 

"B  Division — Same  as  above. 

"C  Division — Parts  of  speech,  except  verbs  and 
participles.  Word  Analysis  of  simple  sentences,  and 
Composition  Work. 

"A  and  B  Divisions — Geography:  Completed 
the  subject  and  reviewed. 

"C  Division — Completed  the  subject,  but  need  a 
thorough  review. 

"During  the  past  three  years  fourteen  pupils 
have  been  promoted  to  advanced  work  between  the 
times  for  regular  promotions;  these  promotions  in- 
volving a  change  of  teachers.  Those  now  in  the 
class  have  had  a  total  of  sixty-four  reclassifications 
within  the  same  time,  but  not  involving  a  change 
of  teachers.  Some  have  had  four  or  five  reclassifi- 
cations in  this  time,  while  others  have  not  had  any, 
but  have  gone  along  regularly  with  their  own  di- 
vision, passing  to  a  new  teacher  at  the  beginning  of 
each  year.  During  the  time  those  in  the  class  have 
gained  over  twenty-six  years,  without  any  urging. 
The  time  gained  by  each  pupil  varies  from  twenty 
months  to  one  month;  and  a  few  have  taken  the  full 
time  allotted  for  the  completion  of  the  work." 


SECURING  THOROUGHNESS  IN  ESSENTIALS.    107 

The  above  ''Records  of  Work  Done"  have  been 
taken  at  random  from  the  Permanent  Records  sent 
to  the  superintendent's  office.  Two  or  three  hun- 
dred others  might  be  given,  but  those  submitted  will 
be  sufficient  to  give  a  general  idea  of  the  character 
of  the  '^Record  of  Work  Done."  Records  similar 
to  these  are  made  for  each  subject,  so  that  one  can 
easily  tell  at  a  glance  what  work  the  teacher  and 
principal  believe  to  have  been  finished  satisfac- 
torily. 

MANAGEMENT  OF  REVIEWS. 

Most  teachers  realize  the  importance  of  frequent 
reviews,  for  the  purpose  of  fixing  the  important 
knowledge  in  the  minds  of  the  children.  That 
they  are  necessary  for  this  is  proved  by  the  teach- 
ings of  practice,  common  sense  and  psychology. 
All  must  acknowledge  that  reviews  are  beneficial, 
not  only  because  they  help  the  children  to  recall 
important  facts,  but  also  because  they  find  the 
promised  reviews  strong  incentives  to  more  diligent 
work.  Most  efficient  teachers  find  the  reviews  in- 
valuable in  determining  what  part  of  the  instruc- 
tion has  been  of  benefit. 

For  the  purpose  of  securing  thoroughness  in  the 
essential  work,  some  prefer  the  weekly  reviews, 
while  others  believe  that  the  desired  end  is  best 
reached  by  making  use  of  the  monthly  reviews. 


108  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

Both  of  these  may  be  used  with  good  effect  by  the 
teacher.  However,  with  this  plan  of  grading,  the 
monthly  review  has  peculiar  advantages.  Though 
pupils  pass  to  advanced  work  whenever  ready  for  it, 
it  has  been  found  specially  satisfactory  to  have  the 
majority  of  the  changes  from  teacher  to  teacher 
take  place  at  the  beginning  of  each  school  month, 
as  at  this  time  all  the  records  of  school  and  pupil  are 
begun  anew.  By  having  a  review  of  important 
parts  of  the  essential  subjects  at  the  beginning  of 
each  month,  pupils  not  quite  up  to  the  work  of  the 
next  higher  division,  but  ahead  of  their  own  class, 
can  easily  take  a  step  forward  at  this  time.  As 
they  enter  at  a  time  when  there  is  a  general  review, 
it  has  been  found  that  the  new  pupils  are  at  once 
lost  in  the  regular  divisions,  and  the  teacher  finds 
little  or  no  need  of  giving  them  special  attention. 
This  practically  dove-tails  the  work  of  one  division 
into  that  of  the  next  higher,  while  the  pupils,  pass- 
ing from  a  higher  to  a  lower  division,  get  the  re- 
views greatly  needed.  The  majority  of  the 
changes  from  teacher  to  teacher  taking  place  at  the 
same  time  also  prevents  crowding  of  any  of  the 
classes. 

It  would  not  be  right  to  leave  this  subject  with- 
out calling  attention  to  the  fact  that  too  often  the 
reviews  are  wrongfully  used,  simply  for  the  purpose 
of  testing  for  the  memory  of  words  and  discon- 


SECURING  THOROUGHNESS  IN  ESSENTIALS.   109 

nected  facts.  Therefore  care  should  be  taken  to 
emphasize,  in  the  reviews,  only  the  important  facts, 
which  are  essential  to  the  proper  understanding  of 
the  subject.  It  should  also  be  remembered  that 
while  they  are  valuable  as  a  means  of  making  sure 
of  having  the  work  done  thoroughly,  they  are  cap- 
able of  performing  a  much  higher  and  more  im- 
portant function.  They  may  be  so  used  that  they 
will  give  to  all  a  birds-eye  view  of  each  subject, 
that  the  important  details  will  stand  out  boldly; 
they  should  bring  all  the  important  ideas  of  every 
subject  into  close  association,  so  that  every  child 
may  see  the  unity  existing  between  the  different 
ideas  that  make  up  each  subject;  and  they  should 
co-ordinate  all  the  important  facts  so  as  to  form  one 
systematic  whole. 


Chapter  XDL 


MEANS  OF  ENLISTING  THE  INTEKEST  OF 
PAKENTS  AND  PUPILS. 

The  importance  of  securing  the  hearty  co-opera- 
tion of  parents  cannot  be  emphasized  too  strongly, 
nor  considered  too  carefully  by  those  planning  for 
the  improvement  of  the  schools.  While  it  is  true 
that  "the  teacher  makes  the  school,"  yet  teachers 
are  selected  by  the  members  of  the  Board  of  Edu- 
cation, who,  in  turn,  are  chosen  by  the  people. 
The  Board  of  Education  is  not  likely  to  advance 
much  faster  than  the  sentiment  of  the  community 
will  warrant;  therefore  the  importance  of  making 
sure  of  the  interest  of  the  people,  from  whom  orig- 
inates all  authority  necessary  for  the  management 
of  the  schools.  The  public  opinion  of  interested 
parents  is  a  mighty  engine  for  the  up-building  of 
the  schools.  Not  to  endeavor  to  awaken  the  sym- 
pathy and  enlist  the  co-operation  of  the  parents, 


ENLISTING  THE  INTEREST  OF  PARENTS.      Ill 

who  largely  mold  and  reflect  public  sentiment,  is  a 
serious  mistake  and  the  cause  of  many  poor  systems 
of  schools.  It  is  more  than  policy  to  make  such  en- 
deavor: it  is  right;  for  the  parents  not  only  pay  for 
the  support  of  the  schools,  but  they  have  intrusted 
to  the  schools  their  children,  who  are  the  dearest 
objects  of  their  affections. 

Many  realize,  in  a  vague  way,  the  importance  of 
having  the  interest  of  the  parents;  more  find  suffi- 
cient reason  for  trying  to  have  the  kind  wishes  of 
the  members  of  the  Board  of  Education; but  too  few 
appreciate  the  importance  of  having  each  pupil  feel 
a  deep  interest  in  his  own  advancement  and  the  ad- 
vancement of  the  class.  .Without  the  lively  inter- 
est of  the  children,  the  work  will  not  be  satisfac- 
tory. Then,  too,  as  a  means  of  enlisting  the  sym- 
pathy of  the  parents,  the  interest  of  the  children  is 
more  potent  than  any  other.  Where  the  interest 
of  the  children  is,  the  interest  of  parents  is  almost 
sure  to  be. 

Many  methods  of  enlisting  the  sympathy  of  par- 
ents and  pupils  have  been  suggested,  and  as  many 
more  will  suggest  themselves  to  thoughtful  princi- 
pals and  teachers,  only  a  few  are  mentioned,  as  be- 
ing typical  of  devices  which  may  properly  be  used 
for  this  purpose.  Though  the  first  is  not  peculiar 
to  this  plan  of  grading,  it  is  given  for  the  reason 


112  THE  GEADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

that,  with    the    others,    years  of  experience  have 
shown  its  great  value. 

MONTHLY  REPORTS. 

Some  teachers  think  it  too  much  trouble  to  send 
reports  of  any  kind  to  the  parents.  Thus  they  save 
themselves  some  work  and  lose  a  hundred  times 
more  benefit,  because  of  the  lack  of  interest  on  the 
part  of  the  parents  and  pupils.  ISTo  one  can  be  in- 
terested in  that  of  which  they  know  nothing.  If 
the  parents  and  pupils  are  not  kept  informed,  we 
cannot  reasonably  expect  them  to  be  interested. 
Other  teachers  send  daily  or  weekly  reports,  and 
thus  make  for  themselves  much  unnecessary  labor. 
Coming  so  frequently,  these  reports  are  not  apt  to 
receive  the  attention  to  which  they  are  entitled. 
For  many  good  reasons  nearly  all  who  give  reports 
now  send  them  out  monthly.  There  are  many  kinds 
of  reports  which  answer  the  purpose  for  which  they 
are  intended.  A  form,  of  report,  which  has  been  espe- 
cially potent  in  securing  the  interest  of  the  parents, 
contains  the  following  items  of  information:  The 
grade  of  work  which  the  pupil  is  pursuing;  the  di- 
visions in  which  the  pupil  has  been  during  the  year; 
the  character  of  the  work  done  in  every  branch,  in 
such  a  way  that  the  latest  report  can  easily  be  com- 
pared with  the  record  for  each  preceding  month ;  a 
general  average  for  each  month;  number  of  cases  of 


ENLISTING  THE  INTEREST  OF  PARENTS.      113 

tardiness;  attendance  for  each  month;  mark  in  ef- 
fort and  deportment;  explanation  of  the  report; 
places  for  the  signatures  of  principal,  teacher  and 
parents;  such  an  address  to  the  parent  as  will  tend 
to  emphasize  the  importance  of  making  a  careful 
study  of  the  report  and  of  giving  the  teacher  every 
assistance  possible. 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  address  which  has 
been  used  on  the  report  card: 

"To  the  Parent — The  boys  and  the  girls  in  the 
schools  will  be  the  men  and  women  of  the  future, 
the  immortals  of  eternity.  Because  of  what  they 
will  be,  the  responsibility  of  parents  and  teacher  ia 
very  great.  The  affections  of  the  parents,  natur- 
ally centering  in  the  welfare  of  their  children,  lead 
to  a  desire  that  they,  the  objects  of  their  dearest 
thoughts,  may  receive  the  best  educational  advan- 
tages possible. 

"But  no  matter  how  earnestly  and  persistently 
the  teacher  tries  to  help  the  pupil,  the  best  results 
will  not  be  forthcoming  unless  there  is  the  heartiest 
co-operation  and  warmest  sympathy  between  par- 
ents, teachers  and  pupils. 

"As  it  is  impossible  for  you  to  visit  the  school  fre- 
quently, this  report  is  sent  that  you  may  know  how 
your  child  is  progressing  in  each  study.  It  will 
enable  you  to  see  how  the  latest  compares  with  all 
previous  reports,  and  is  intended  to  be  a  complete 
summary  of  all  that  pertains  to  your  child's  school 
life  this  year.  Will  you  not  please  examine  it  care- 


114  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

fully,  sign  it  promptly  and  act  upon  the  informa- 
tion given?  You  will  thereby  greatly  help  both 
your  child  and  the  teacher. 

"Please  aid  in  securing  compliance  with  the  rules 
of  the  school.  This  is  not  only  necessary  for  the 
best  interests  of  others,  but  ready  obedience  to 
proper  authority  is  a  lesson  which  every  child 
should  learn. 

"Pupils  should  not  only  behave  properly,  but 
they  should  acquire  the  habit  of  being  punctual, 
regular  in  attendance,  studious,  kind,  courteous  and 
neat.  They  should  be  taught  to  think  of  every  ac- 
tion as  a  moral  act,  tending  to  form  habits  and  indi- 
cating and  determining  moral  character.  For  the 
sake  of  their  present  and  future  welfare,  kindly 
help  the  teacher  in  all  efforts  to  secure  these  and 
other  desirable  ends." 

CERTIFICATE  OF  EXTRA  PROMOTION. 

Much  encouragement  has  been  given  to  pupils 
by  a  card  showing  that  they  had  earned  extra  pro- 
motions. Movement  forward  is  always  acceptable 
to  every  person;  and  never  more  so  than  to  pupils 
interested  in  their  work  and  to  parents  solicitious 
for  the  advancement  of  their  children.  Without 
trying  it,  but  few  can  appreciate  the  great  interest 
aroused  by  the  giving  of  such  cards.  As  this  plan 
of  grading  makes  it  easy  for  pupils  to  move  forward 
at  any  time,  the  large  majority  of  the  pupils  have 
received  them,  and  the  enthusiasm  of  parents  and 


ENLISTING  THE  INTEREST  OF  PARENTS.      115 

pupils  has  been  remarkable.     The  following  is  a 
copy  of  the  Certificate  of  Extra  Promotion: 

"This  is  to  certify  that,  because  of  the  present 

plan  of  grading  and  promoting, 

has  not  only  done  the  work 

required  of  the  other  pupils,  but  has  also  earned  an 

extra  promotion.     The  promotion  was  from 

to 

Teacher." 

On  the  reverse  side  the  certificate  reads  as  fol- 
lows: 

"To  the  Parent — Under  £he  usual  method  of 
grading  and  promoting,  your  child  would  not  have 
beenjpromoted  during  the  year,  but  would  have  had 
to  mark  time  and  wait  until  the  other  pupils  were 
ready  to  move  forward.  The  plan  now  used  makes 
it  possible  for  pupils  to  take  up  advanced  work 
whenever  ready  for  it.  "While  great  care  should  be 
taken  to  see  to  it  that  no  pupil  be  allowed  to  go 
faster  than  he  has  the  mental  and  physical  ability 
to  do  the  work  thoroughly,  many  bright  children 
have  been  ruined  mentally  and  morally  by  being 
compelled  to  wait  for  those  who  either  could  not 
do  the  work  or  would  not  do  it.  Of  the 
teacher  and  principal  this  plan  requires  close  at- 
tention to  each  child,  and  from  the  superintendent 
extra,  unappreciated  work,  worry  and  planning. 
For  the  pupils  it  means  improved  mental  habits, 
increased  interest  and  the  saving  of  valuable  time; 
and  for  most  of  them  it  means  much  more  educa- 
tion that  they  would  otherwise  receive.  I  trust 


116  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

that  you  will  approve  of  this  plan,  and  co-operate 
with  us." 


CERTIFICATE  OF  TIME  GAINED. 

Another  device,  which  has  proved  to  be  a  source 
of  great  encouragement  to  pupils,  is  a  small  certifi- 
cate showing  the  time  gained  by  each  pupil.  It 
has  also  been  a  means  of  interesting  the  parents  in 
all  things  pertaining  to  the  schools.  As,  under  this 
plan  of  grading,  pupils  are  permitted  to  pass  their 
classmates  at  any  time  when  their  advancement 
warrants  it,  many  soon  find  themselves  far  ahead 
of  those  with  whom  they  would  have  had  to  remain 
if  it  had  not  been  for  this  provision  for  reclassifica- 
tion.  As  most  courses  of  study  do  not  contain 
more  than  sufficient  work  to  keep  the  slower  pupils 
busy,  a  large  proportion  of  the  pupils  of  every 
school  would  receive  these  certificates.  ~No  less 
than  ninety  per  cent  of  the  pupils,  who  have  had 
the  opportunity  of  working  under  this  plan  for 
three  years,  have  received  these  rewards  of  merit. 
By  the  records  kept,  it  is  easy  to  tell  just  how  far 
a  pupil  is  ahead  of  former  companions.  Once  each 
year  this  record  is  made  out  and  sent  to  parents. 
The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  certificate  used: 

"This  is  to  certify  that  since  the  present  plan  of 
grading  and  promoting  was  introduced, 


ENLISTING  THE  INTEREST  OF  PARENTS.      117 

has  gained months    and  is  that    far 

ahead  of  former  classmates. 

Teacher." 

The  address  to  the  parent  is  as  follows: 
"To  the  Parent — The  pupils  of  every  grade  differ 
widely  in  age,  in  acquirements,  in  aptitude,  in  men- 
tal and  physical  strength,  in  home  advantages,  in 
the  time  of  entering  school,  in  regularity  of  attend- 
ance, and  in  many  other  ways  affecting  their  pro- 
gress. Because  of  these  differences  many  pupils  can 
easily  finish  a  given  amount  of  work  in  one-half  to 
two-thirds  the  time  it  takes  others  to  do  the  same 
work.  Regardless  of  this  indisputable  fact,  the 
schools  all  over  this  country  bind  together  the 
bright  and  the  slow,  and  by  holding  back  the  bright, 
and  unmercifully  driving  the  slower  ones,  force  all 
to  move  at  the  same  pace,  not  only  month  after 
month,  but  year  after  year,  for  their  whole  school 
lives.  Believing  that  this  is  an  outrage  upon  both 
the  bright  and  the  slow,  the  present  plan  was  put 
in  operation  that  pupils  might  be  able  to  go  just  as 
fast  as  they  should,  and  no  faster. 

"All  friends  of  our  schools  will  be  gratified  to 
know  that  the  papers  of  nearly  all  the  large  cities 
of  this  country,  from  San  Francisco  to  Boston,  have 
commended  this  plan  which  is  in  operation  in  our 
schools. 

"Because  of  this  plan  of  grading  your  child  has 
been  able  to  gain  time  without  being  hurried. 
Time  which  would  have  been  worse  than  wasted 
has  been  used  to  good  purpose,  and  without  being 


118  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

urged,  and  almost  without  knowing  it,  your  child 
has  gone  faster  than  others.  Is  this  not  right?  If 
you  believe  it  is,  we  most  earnestly  ask  your 
friendly  aid,  that  your  child  may  receive  even  more 
benefit  in  the  future,  when  greater  advantages  will 
result  from  this  plan. 

"We  hope  that  you  will  take  a  personal  interest 
in  the  public  schools,  and  aid  us  in  securing  for  our 
boys  and  girls  as  good  an  education  as  it  is  possible 
for  them  to  get." 

That  this  plan  does  increase  the  interest  of  the 
parents  has  been  conclusively  proved  in  many  ways. 
That  this  is  recognized  by  those  in  the  schools  is 
shown  by  many  expressions  similar  to  the  follow- 
ing, which  is  an  extract  from  a  letter  written  by  a 
principal  after  three  years'  experience  with  the 
method.  "It  has  given  pupils  a  fresh  incentive  for 
work,  the  reward  being  their  own  personal  progress. 
The  number  of  graduates  from  our  school  this  year 
is  more  than  double  that  of  three  years  ago,  while 
the  interest  and  support  of  the  parents  have  in- 
creased in  about  the  same  ratio." 

Many  teachers  complain  of  the  lack  of  interest 
upon  the  part  of  the  parents.  All  know  that,  too 
often,  parents  manifest  no  interest,  save  when  they 
come  to  complain.  May  it  not  be  because  teachers 
have  not  done  their  part?  With  such  devices  as 
the  above,  it  has  been  very  encouraging  to  see  with 


ENLISTING  THE  INTEREST  OF  PARENTS.      119 

what  zeal  nearly  all  parents  co-operate  when  they 
find  their  interest  is  desired  and  appreciated. 
Quite  as  gratifying  is  the  beneficial  effect  upon  the 
children. 


Chapter  XHL 


LOCATION  AND  REMOVAL  OF  DANGER 
POINTS  IN  EACH  GRADE. 

In  a  more  or  less  vague  way,  every  teacher  of 
experience  knows  that,  in  each  year's  work,  but  few 
subjects  are  especially  hard  for  the  pupils  to  master. 
Teachers  generally  agree  that  if  pupils  entering 
each  class  were  only  well  prepared  in  the  few  im- 
portant parts  of  the  essential  subjects  of  the  preced- 
ing grades,  the  task  of  taking  the  pupils  over  the 
required  ground  would  be  comparatively  easy. 
Coming,  as  so  many  pupils  do,  with  a  meagre  un- 
derstanding of  the  knowledge  upon  which  they  are 
supposed  to  build,  the  majority  of  teachers  find  it 
absolutely  necessary  to  spend  a  large  part  of  the 
time  trying  to  patch  up  the  poorly  laid  foundations, 
preparatory  to  attempting  to  build  thereon.  Some- 
times the  mistakes  are  not  discovered  until  later, 
when  an  effort  is  generally  made  to  strengthen  the 
weakest  points.  Many  times  the  pupils  are  so  ut- 
terly deficient  in  the  most  important  principles, 


DANGER  POINTS.  121 

that  teachers,  in  despair,  endeavor  to  remove  what 
has  been  taught,  that  they  may  rebuild  even  from 
the  base  course  itself.  Many  more  times  the  pu- 
pils are  permitted  to  attempt  to  build  upon  the 
sand ;  the  educational  superstructure  falls  when  put 
to  the  test;  pupils  are  overwhelmed  by  the  disgrace 
of  failure,  and  discouraged  because  they  know  it 
comes  in  spite  of  earnest  effort  upon  their  part; 
therefore,  convinced  that  it  is  useless  for  them  to 
attempt  to  rebuild,  they  stop  trying;  whereas,  if 
they  had  had  a  proper  foundation,  they  would  have 
built  a  noble  temple  of  knowledge.  All  their  lives 
they^  suffer  because  of  a  lack  of  what  they  might 
easily  have  secured. 

Though  nearly  all  of  the  failures  are  caused  by 
want  of  preparation  at  comparatively  few  points, 
yet,  so  far  as  is  known,  there  has  never  been  an  at- 
tempt made  to  locate  these  subjects,  and  parts  of 
subjects,  which  cause  the  majority  of  failures  in 
each  grade.  If  possible,  even  less  has  been  done  to 
point  out  the  danger  points  in  each  subject. 

This  chapter  is  written  for  the  purpose  of  calling 
attention  to  this  very  important  matter,  and  for  the 
purpose  of  suggesting  a  few  points  to  which  it  will 
be  well  to  give  special  consideration.  Attention 
having  been  called  to  the  matter,  each  teacher  and 
principal  will  be  able  to  locate  additional  points  of 


122  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

difficulty  in  their  own  courses  of  study,  better  than 
they  can  be  pointed  out  to  them  by  others. 

The  conclusions,  as  to  which  are  the  most  diffi- 
cult subjects,  were  not  reached  without  having  suf- 
ficient data  on  which  to  base  the  inferences.  To 
determine  the  subjects  which  give  the  most  trouble 
to  teachers  and  pupils,  the  records  made  by  between 
fifteen  and  twenty  thousand  pupils,  of  different 
grades,  were  studied  carefully.  To  discover  the 
points  where  the  most  trouble  arises,  manv  teachers 
of  every  grade  were  consulted.  In  spite  of  this 
fact,  every  principal  and  teacher  should  make  con- 
firmatory tests  and  be  on  the  lookout  for  other 
danger  points  in  each  subiect.  When  they  have 
once  been  discovered,  the  teachers  will  easily  re- 
move them  by  giving  them  special  attention  and  by 
following  the  individuals  closely  at  these  points. 
In  the  hope  that  they  will  be  helpful  to  inexperi- 
enced teachers,  a  few  suggestions  are  given  as  to 
methods  of  helping  pupils  over  some  of  these  trou- 
blesome places. 

FIRST  YEAR. 
Arithmetic, 

Danger  Points:  Hardest  combinations  from 
one  to  ten.  Abstract  combinations.  Writing  and 
reading  numbers  that  look  or  sound  alike.  Devel- 
opment of  clear  ideas  of  numbers.  Use  of  the 
signs. 


DANGER  POINTS.  123 

Suggestions:  Concrete  and  abstract  problems 
by  teacher  and  pupil.  Pupils  in  this  grade  require 
repeated  drill  in  every  step  from  the  formation  of 
figures  to  the  combinations  of  numbers. 

Reading. 

Danger  Points:  Combinations  of  sounds. 
Recognition  of  words  in  script  and  print ;  especially 
those  similar  in  appearance  as:  this,  that,  these, 
there,  etc.  Ability  to  recognize  new  words. 

Suggestions:  Phonic  drill.  Practice  on  col- 
umns of  words.  Special  attention  to  articulation, 
and  expression.  Give  the  pupil  time  to  read  the 
sentence  to  himself,  in  order  that  he  may  get  the 
thought.  From  the  beginning  make  an  effort  to 
secure  expression  in  reading. 

SECOND  YEAR. 
Arithmetic. 

Danger  Points :  Difficulty  is  found  in  applying 
combinations  and  recognizing  the  same  combina- 
tions, no  matter  in  what  form  they  appear.  Nota- 
tion and  numeration.  Work  in  parts  of  wholes  and 
relation  of  one  to  the  other.  In  subtraction,  bor- 
rowing and  paying  back. 

Suggestions:  Give  pupils  examples  and  ques- 
tions in  every  conceivable  way,  so  that  they  may 
become  familiar  with  the  form  and  number,  and  be 
able  to  recognize  it  under  all  conditions.  Drill  at 
the  board  by  mental  work,  and  by  cards  containing 
combinations  with  or  without  answers.  Oral  ex- 
amples and  explanatory  board  work  is  the  best  way 


124  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

to  make  borrowing  and  paying  back,  in  subtraction, 
understood. 

Reading. 

Danger  Points:  Ability  of  pupil  to  read  under- 
standingly  and  with  expression.  Recognition  of 
similar  words.  Joining  the  article  to  the  noun. 
Combinations  of  sounds  and  letters,  and  clear  enun- 
ciation should  have  attention.  Sounds  of  letters. 
Recognition  of  words  at  sight. 

Suggestions:  Be  careful  about  words  that  look 
much  alike,  as,  how,  who,  then,  them,  this,  the,  etc. 
Drill  is  very  important  here.  Write  the  words  in 
columns  on  the  board,  and  let  each  child  read  one 
or  more  words.  Give  them  for  spelling  lessons, 
and  dictate  them  to  pupils  for  writing.  Expression 
may  be  secured  by  questions,  comparisons,  sugges- 
tions, informal  talks  and  use  of  objects  and  pic- 
tures. Enunciation  is  aided  by  drill  in.  phonics. 
Have  children  read  silently  one  line,  or  to  a  period, 
before  reading  audibly.  Have  the  most  difficult 
phrases  written  on  the  board  and  read  by  class  till 
difficulty  is  removed.  The  hard  words  should  be 
spelled  by  sound  before  lesson  is  read.  Have  the 
best  reader  read  the  difficult  passage,  so  that  expres- 
sion is  noticed,  which  latter  is  also  aided  by  "talking 
it"  and  by  asking  questions. 

THIRD  YEAH. 

Arithmetic. 

Danger  Points:  Second  step  in  subtraction. 
Rapid  work.  The  sevens,  eights  and  nines  in  mul- 


DANGER  POINTS.  125 

tiplication.  The  use  of  the  cipher  in  subtraction 
and  multiplication.  Division  where  naughts  occur 
in  quotient.  Relative  size  and  value  of  numbers; 
children  not  seeing  readily  that  2000  cannot  be  sub- 
tracted from  1989.  Notation  and  numeration. 

Suggestions:  Board  work.  Rapid  addition. 
Dictation.  Drill  in  subtraction  and  multiplication 
tables.  Place  figures  on  board,  using  each  in  turn 
as  multiplier.  Individual  work  at  board.  Many 
examples  using  cipher. 

Reading. 

Danger  Points :  To  read  readily  at  sight.  Ex- 
pression. Articulation,  particularly  final  conson- 
ants. Difficulty  in  recognizing  words  similar  in 
form,  as  though,  through,  thought,  thorough. 

Suggestions:  To  enable  children  to  recognize 
words  easily,  take  the  difficult  words  in  the  lesson 
and  write  them  on  the  board,  and  have  pupils  read 
them.  Also  teach  the  equivalent  sounds  of  letters; 
divide  words  into  syllables,  teach  formation  of  de- 
rivatives from  primitives,  and  compound  from  sim- 
ple words.  For  articulation,  drill  on  the  oral  ele- 
ments. Give  much  practice  on  words. 

FOURTH  YEAR. 

Arithmetic. 

Danger  Points:  In  long  division,  subtracting 
from  dividend  and  comparing  remainder  with  di- 
visor. The  cipher  in  multiplication  and  subtrac- 
tion. Rapid  addition.  Few  hardest  of  the  forty- 
five  combinations.  In  subtraction,  the  alternate 


120  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

borrowing,  and  use  of  ciphers  in  minuend.  Dollar 
sign  and  point  in  United  States  money.  Notation 
of  number  where  ciphers  are  needed.  Thorough- 
ness in  fundamental  rules. 

Suggestions:  Constant  drill  on  hard  parts. 
Require  pupils  to  add  columns  of  figures;  beginning 
with  short  columns  with  small  figures.  Gradually 
increase  till  they  become  ready  and  rapid  in  com- 
putation. Give  little  problems  that  require 
thought.  Require  quick  mental  work  on  line,  hav- 
ing pupils  pass  above  and  below  each  other. 

Reading. 

Danger  Points:  Articulation  and  expression. 
Pronunciation  of  final  consonants.  Clear  tones 
and  easy  recognition  of  the  words.  Good  under- 
standing of  the  thought. 

Suggestions :  Children  having  defects  in  articu- 
lation should  be  shown  the  proper  position  of  the 
vocal  cords.  To  aid  expression,  one  pupil  should 
be  selected  each  day  to  read  the  lesson  to  the  whole 
class.  Teacher  may  call  for  difficult  words  and 
write  them  on  the  board.  Pupils  may  compose 
sentences  containing  them.  Three  or  four  easy 
readers  should  be  used,  rather  than  to  hurry  pupils 
to  difficult  words. 

Language. 

Danger  Points:  Dictated  sentences,  letter  wri- 
ting. Use  of  new  words  in  original  sentences. 
Use  of  Period.  The  dot  over  "i"  and  «j."  <T' 
as  a  capital.  Avoidance  of  "and"  in  reproduction 
stories.  Possessive  forms.  Use  of  capitals  at  be- 
ginning of  sentences. 


DANGER  POINTS.  127 

Suggestions :  Give  sentences  in  which  a  child 
can  easily  grasp  the  thought.  Don't  make  him 
write  words  that  mean  nothing  to  him.  Try  to 
make  letter-writing  interesting  and  easy.  Require 
pupils  to  form  sentences  orally,  using  the  following 
analysis:  "I  first  think  about  something;  I  use 
words  to  express  my  thoughts;  as  'The  tree  grows.' 
These  words  express  a  thought  and  it  is  called  a 
sentence."  Dictate  sentences  daily,  correct  the 
papers  and  return,  having  pupils  rewrite  correctly. 
Read  a  story  to  the  class,  and  have  pupils  bring  in 
the  reproduction  from  memory.  Correct,  as  far  as 
sensible,  the  frequent  errors  of  speech. 

FIFTH  YEAR. 

Arithmetic. 

Danger  Points:  Division  and  multiplication  of 
fractions.  Reduction  of  answers.  Special  atten- 
tion to  subtraction  when  fraction  below  exceeds 
that  above.  Long  division,  when  ciphers  occur  in 
the  quotient,  and  multiplication,  when  ciphers  occur 
in  multiplier.  Finding  trial  divisor  in  long  division. 
Reduction,  ascending  in  denominate  numbers. 
In  division  of  decimals,  trouble  with  pointing  off 
the  correct  number  of  decimal  places  in  the  quo- 
tient. Decimal  point  very  often  forgotten.  Spe- 
cial attention  given  to  subject  of  mixed  numbers 
when  it  is  necessary  to  borrow  from  whole  number. 

Suggestions:  Decimal  point  best  developed  by 
dictating  all  examples,  and  by  constant  drill  work. 
In  subtraction  of  fractions,  first  reduce  to  improper 
fractions,  then,  after  making  the  denominators  com- 


128  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

mon,  and  subtracting  the  numerators,  reduce  to 
mixed  numbers,  if  necessary.  Constant  drill  and 
review  secure  improvement.  All  mistakes  should 
be  corrected  by  the  pupils,  if  possible,  and  rewrit- 
ten. Thorough  explanation  of  principles  and 
methods.  Much  practice. 

Grammar. 

Danger  Points:  Ability  to  write  and  speak  in 
clear,  simple  and  correct  English.  To  recognize 
the  parts  of  speech.  Use  of  is  and  are,  was  and 
were,  etc.  Use  of  quotation  marks.  Punctuation 
and  use  of  capitals.  Proper  use  of  imperfect  tense 
of  such  verbs  as  saw,  did,  etc.  Formation  of  singu- 
lar and  plural  possessives.  Abstract  nouns. 

Suggestions:  In  order  to  distinguish  parts  of 
speech,  let  pupils  select  parts  of  speech  in  the  read- 
ing lesson.  Drill  on  words  pronounced  alike,  but 
spelled  differently.  Try  to  avoid  having  pupils 
spoil  simple  intelligent  language  by  an  attempt  to 
use  set  rules  and  grammatical  terms.  All  written 
work  should  be  preceded  by  oral  work.  Special  at- 
tention given  to  errors. 

SIXTH  YEAR. 
Arithmetic. 

Danger  Points:  Division  of  fractions.  Correct 
use  of  the  decimal  point.  Multiplication  and  divis- 
ion of  compound  numbers.  Rapidity  in  notation 
and  numeration  of  deqijnals.  Reduction  of  deci- 
mals to  common  fractions. 

Suggestions:     Drill   at  the  board   on   dictated 


DANGER  POINTS.  129 

work.  Constant  practice  in  numbers  in  which 
ciphers  appear.  Daily  drill  on  some  one  weak 
point  of  class,  giving  one  example,  if  no  more  time 
can  be  taken  from  class  work.  Explanation  of 
errors.  Varying  examples,  using  the  same  princi- 
ple. Simple  examples  made  by  class  and  teacher. 

Grammar. 

Danger  Points:  To  teach  children  to  express 
themselves  accurately  and  clearly.  Cases  of  pro- 
nouns. Complex  sentences.  Forming  possessive 
case  of  nouns  properly.  Paragraphing.  Good  ex- 
pression in  original  work. 

Suggestions:  Drill  on  fewer  points.  Have 
much  oral  work. 

SEVENTH  YEAR. 
Arithmetic. 

Danger  Points:  Finding  base,  rate,  and  percen- 
tage. Use  of  decimal  point.  Division  of  deci- 
mals. Accurate  work  in  common  and  decimal 
fractions.  Accuracy  in  fundamental  rules. 

Suggestions:  Constant  drills  at  danger  points. 
Mistakes  pointed  out,  and  the  errors  corrected  by 
the  pupil.  Have  pupils  criticise  their  own  work 
and  work  of  other  members  of  the  class.  Drill  on 
that  part  of  review  work  where  pupils  are  most 
deficient. 

Grammar. 

Danger  Points:  Conjugation  of  verbs.  Con- 
struction of  simple  sentences.  Formation  of 
plurals  and  possessives. 


130  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

Suggestions:  Use  of  word  in  reader.  Teach 
each  case  separately  and  drill.  Have  pupils  con- 
struct sentences.  Lesson  on  blackboard.  Have 
conversation  lessons  to  help  in  language.  Have 
pupils  criticise  their  own  work  and  the  work  of  the 
class.  Drill  in  finding  object  and  attribute. 
More  attention  to  building  of  simple  sentences. 

EIGHTH  YEAR. 
Arithmetic. 

Danger  Points:  Practical  work  in  common 
fractions  and  percentage.  Accuracy  and  ability  to 
work  more  readily  with  common  and  decimal  frac- 
tions. Accuracy  in  four  fundamental  rules. 
Finding  interest  at  any  other  rate  than  six  per  cent. 
Fractional  and  decimal  parts  of  denominate  num- 
bers. 

Suggestions:  Subject  to  be  thoroughly  ex- 
plained. Much  blackboard  work.  Let  pupils  ex- 
plain their  work.  Have  pupils  draw  figures  in 
mensuration.  Continued  practice  to  keep  pupils 
proficient.  Oral  work.  Thorough  review  of  ail 
important  parts  passed  over,  giving  special  atten- 
tion to  danger  points  in  each  case. 
Grammar. 

Danger  Points:  Producing  clear  and  well- 
formed  sentences.  Parsing.  Construction  of  sen- 
tences. Participle  and  verb.  Case  of  pronouns. 
Irregular  verbs.  Possessive  case.  Lack  of 
fluency. 

Suggestions:  Original  compositions.  Change 
compound  sentences  to  complex.  Drill  in  making 
sentences  throughout  the  year. 


Chapter  XIV. 


NUMBER  OF  DIVISIONS  AND  BASIS  OF 
CLASSIFICATION  IN  EACH  GKADE. 

Having  fixed  upon  the  essential  subjects  and  the 
danger  points  in  each  grade,  the  question  as  to  the 
number  of  divisions  becomes  an  important  one. 
Great  care  must  be  taken  to  make  the  divisions 
needed,  and,  at  the  same  time,  to  have  no  more  than 
a  teacher  can  handle  satisfactorily.  At  no  time 
should  there  be  more  divisions  than  are  required  to 
meet  the  needs  of  the  pupils  and  the  demands  of 
proper  instruction.  Extra  divisions  should  be 
made  when  necessary,  and  should  not  be  continued 
longer  than  they  are  needed.  The  greatest  care 
must  be  taken  with  the  sequential  subjects — those 
in  which  future  progress  is  dependent  upon  what 
has  been  learned. 

For  a  time  there  were  many  who  advocated  a 
separate  classification  for  each  subject.  This  had 


132  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

the  advantage  of  an  exact  adaptation  of  studies  to 
the  wishes  of  the  pupils,  if  the  teacher  was  able  to 
make  the  division;  yet,  where  tried,  it  did  not 
prove  satisfactory.  Not  only  did  it  cause  a  great 
waste  of  time,  but  it  encouraged  the  giving  of  spe- 
cial attention  to  particular  subjects;  though  all 
agreed  that  the  end  desired  was  a  well-rounded  cul- 
tivation. 

The  great  difficulty  in  properly  managing  the 
manifold  classification  soon  led  most  to  favor  a 
three-fold  division,  based  upon  reading,  arithmetic 
and  mechanical  subjects.  It  was  found  unneces- 
sary to  retain  the  last,  so  that  the  only  separate  clas- 
sification was  made  with  reading  and  arithmetic  as 
the  basis.  The  necessity  of  having  all  pupils  of 
each  grade  reach  a  given  level,  in  all  subjects,  by  a 
certain  time,  has  now  led  to  the  universal  adoption 
of  the  single  basis  of  classification.  This  was  done 
that  pupils  might  make  the  same  progress  in  all  sub- 
jects of  the  grade.  The  principal  advantages  of 
this  method  lie  in  its  simplicity  and  its  prevention 
of  a  one-sided  development. 

Under  the  plan  of  grading  herein  explained  pu- 
pils may  be  placed  in  different  divisions  tempora- 
rily; but  before  the  end  of  the  term  it  has  been 
found  best  to  have  all  in  one  or  other  of  the  divi- 
sions, in  all  of  the  essential  or  promotion  subjects. 
In  hundreds  of  cases  when  pupils  were  disposed  to 


DIVISIONS  AND  CLASSIFICATIONS.  133 

neglect  certain  work  which  was  distasteful  to  them> 
they  have  shown  great  energy  in  doing  what  they 
thought  they  could  not  do;  until  it  was  discovered 
that  their  remaining  in  advanced  divisions  in  their 
favorite  subjects  was  dependent  upon  the  accom- 
plishment of  certain  work  in  other  lessons. 

The  number  of  divisions  in  each  grade  will  be 
largely  determined  by  the  number  of  pupils  in  the 
grade.  In  a  school  having  two  grades  to  a  class, 
the  pupils  cannot  be  as  accurately  classified  as  in 
those  schools  having  one  or  more  classes  of  about 
the  same  grade.  In  short,  it  may  be  said,  that, 
other  things  being  equal,  the  larger  the  number  of 
pupils  attending  any  school  the  easier  it  will  be  to 
secure  an  accurate  classification  of  pupils. 

"Where  there  are  two  or  more  grades  in  each 
room,  the  only  practical  method  is  to  divide  them 
into  three  or  four  divisions  in  each  of  the  most  im- 
portant subjects.  In  buildings  having  two  or  more 
rooms  of  the  same  grade,  sufficiently  accurate  classi- 
fication may  often  be  secured  by  having  but  two  or 
three  divisions  in  each  of  the  essential  subjects. 
However,  it  should  be  remembered  that  teachers 
who  have  heretofore  had  but  one  class  will  natu- 
rally be  strongly  in  favor  of  having  as  few  divisions 
as  they  are  permitted  to  have. 


134  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

BASIS  OF  DIVISION. 

Another  important  thing  which  the  practical 
teacher  will  wish  to  know  is,  upon  what  basis  the 
division  should  be  made.  Shall  it  be  made  upon 
reading,  up*n  arithmetic,  upon  grammar?  or,  will 
it  be  found  best  to  make  two  or  more  of  the  subjects 
mentioned,  the  basis?  These  and  many  other  simi- 
lar questions  naturally  arise  in  the  consideration  of 
this  important  problem. 

Under  this  plan  of  grading,  two  or  three  of  the 
important  subjects  of  each  grade  are  given  much 
consideration,  but  arithmetic  is  generally  made  the 
basis  of  the  classification.  Experience  has  proved 
that  it  is  best  to  give  this  subject  the  greatest 
weight,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  there  are  other 
equally  or  more  important  sequential  subjects  in 
some  grades.  In  most  parts  of  arithmetic,  further 
progress  is  entirely  dependent  upon  what  has  been 
previously  learned.  Without  a  knowledge  of  addi- 
tion, the  pupils  cannot  understand  multiplication, 
nor  can  they  have  a  proper  conception  of  subtrac- 
tion and  division.  Thus,  all  through  this  subject, 
successful  advancement  is  largely  dependent  upon  a 
thorough  understanding  of  what  has  preceded. 
This  is  also  true,  to  a  certain  extent,  of  reading,  in 
the  lowest  grades,  where  it  is  the  most  important 
subject.  However,  reading  is  mostly  a  matter  of 
corrected  practice,  and  the  desired  end  may  be  best 


DIVISIONS  AND  CLASSIFICATIONS.  135 

reached  by  having  the  pupils  recite  frequently  and 
in  small  groups.  While  special  consideration 
should  be  given  to  this  subject,  as  a  basis  of  division 
in  the  first  three  years,  it  will  be  acknowledged  by 
most  that  it  is  far  easier  to  coach  backward  children 
in  reading  than  in  arithmetic.  In  the  advanced 
grades  much  weight  should  be  given  to  grammar 
as  a  basis  of  division,  for,  as  generally  taught  in  the 
highest  grades,  this  is  distinctively  a  sequential  sub- 
ject. Reading  (except  in  the  lowest  grades),  geog- 
raphy, history,  spelling,  writing,  physiology,  and 
drawing  are  not  subjects  in  which  progress  is  neces- 
sarily dependent  upon  thoroughness  in  the  preced- 
ing'parts  of  the  subject. 

As  before  pointed  out,  the  number  of  pupils  in 
any  given  year's  work,  and  other  varying  condi- 
tions, greatly  influence  the  classification.  How- 
ever, experience  has  proved  it  quite  satisfactory  to 
divide  somewhat  as  follows  in  the  several  grades: 

First  Year.  Two  or  three  divisions  in  number 
•work,  and  three  in  reading.  Before  the  end  of  the 
year  it  will  generally  be  found  best  to  make  an  ad- 
ditional division  in  one  or  both  of  these  subjects. 
Though  it  seems  best  to  make  arithmetic  the  di- 
vision subject  in  the  several  grades,  it  should  not 
be  forgotten  that  reading,  together  with  what  is  in- 
cluded in  that  lesson,  is  the  most  important  work  of 
the  first  two  or  three  years.  The  great  majority  of 


136  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

teachers  have  found  it  best  to  give  great  weight  to 
reading  as  a  basis  of  classification  in  the  first  year. 
However,  by  the  time  for  promotion,  it  will  gener- 
ally be  Ijest  to  have  each  pupil  in  the  same  division 
in  both  subjects.  Divisions  for  the  purpose  of  reci- 
tation may  be  made  as  the  teacher  thinks  advisable. 

Second  Year.  Three  divisions  in  number  work, 
and  three  in  reading.  These  will  generally  be 
found  sufficient,  though  additional  divisions  should 
be  made  when  necessary  to  the  accurate  grading  of 
the  pupils  in  these  branches.  Many  teachers  favor 
more  divisions,  but  experience  proves  that,  except 
in  special  cases,  more  are  not  needed.  In  other 
subjects  divisions  may  be  made  for  the  purpose  of 
recitation. 

Third  Year.  Three  divisions  in  arithmetic,  and 
three  in  reading,  and  two  divisions  in  language. 
Divisions  in  other  subjects  should  be  made  for  the 
purpose  of  recitation,  but  not  necessarily  on  ability, 
as  in  more  important  branches. 

Fourth  Year.  Three  divisions  in  arithmetic  and 
two  or  three  in  reading.  It  may  be  satisfactory  to 
have  all  read  about  the  same  lessons,  but  for  the 
purpose  of  recitation  there  should  be  two  classes. 
There  should  also  be  two  divisions  in  language 
work.  Many  teachers  prefer  to  divide  in  other 
branches,  that  they  may  have  smaller  classes  to  in- 
struct and  test  orally. 


DIVISIONS  AND  CLASSIFICATIONS.  137 

Fifth  Year.  Three  divisions  in  arithmetic  and 
two  in  language  and  geography.  The  divisions  in 
geography  may  do  about  the  same  work,  but  they 
should  recite  separately.  Thus  explanations  and 
instruction  may  be  given  to  all  at  the  same  time. 

Sixth  Year.  Two  or  three  divisions  in  arith- 
metic, and  two  divisions  in  language,  grammar  and 
geography.  In  grammar  and  geography  both  di~ 
visions  may  generally  take  the  same  instruction 
and  the  same  lessons,  but  the  class  should  be  di- 
vided for  the  purpose  of  recitation.  Some  teach- 
ers have  found  it  beneficial  to  divide  in  history,  for 
the  purpose  of  having  smaller  classes. 

Seventh  Year.  Two  or  three  divisions  in  arith- 
metic and  two  divisions  in  grammar,  history  and 
geography.  Division  in  geography  and  history 
may  be  for  purpose  of  recitation. 

Eighth  Year.     Same  as  in  preceding  year. 

In  all  subjects  where  division  is  urged,  the  di- 
nsion  should  be  upon  the  basis  of  ability.  In 
those  subjects  where  division  is  optional,  the  divi 
sion  may  be  made  arbitrarily,  without  regard  to  the 
advancement  and  ability  of  the  pupils. 

Some  very  good  educators  believe  that  pumls 
should  be  divided  according  to  ability  in  all  sub- 
jects, and  advance  equally  in  all;  but  experience 


138  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

has  proved  the  value  of  giving  special  attention  to 
the  more  important  branches. 

The  fact  that  nearly  all  of  the  failures  are  in 
one  or  two  of  the  important  subjects  of  each  grade, 
leads  to  the  belief  that  more  care  should  be  given 
to  these  subjects.  When  examined  closely,  it  will 
be  found  that  there  are  but  a  few  danger  points  in 
each.  For  this  reason,  this  plan  of  grading  pro- 
vides for  instruction  by  divisions  in  these  subjects., 
in  order  that  the  teacher  may  come  into  close  con- 
tact with  each  pupil  and  have  certain  knowledge  of 
what  each  knows  of  every  important  subject.  It 
also  provides  for  individual  testing  and  individual 
instruction  at  those  places  which  experience  proves 
to  be  the  most  difficult  parts  for  the  pupils  to  un- 
derstand. 

By  group  and  individual  teaching  and  testing, 
the  teacher  comes  into  close  contact  with  the  chil- 
dren and  thus  learns  many  things  concerning  them 
which  otherwise  would  never  be  discovered. 
Marked  differences  in  ability  to  grasp  subjects;  the 
differing  periods  at  which  the  faculties  begin  to  act 
with  considerable  power;  the  kind  of  instruction 
best  suited  to  peculiar  characters  and  tempera- 
ments; the  effects  of  study  on  the  health;  the  men- 
tal, moral  and  physical  deficiencies  and  superiori- 
ties; the  home  environments,  determining  the  kind 


DIVISIONS  AND  CLASSIFICATIONS.  139 

of  work  which  may  be  reasonably  expected  from 
each:  These  and  many  other  important  facts  the 
teacher  may  best  learn  by  following  the  pupils  in 
the  small  divisions  and  as  individuals. 


Chapter  XV. 


PKOGKAMS  FOE  EACH  GRADE. 

All  must  acknowledge  that  one  of  the  primary 
requisites  of  a  successful  school  management  is  a 
good  program,  for  without  it  the  work  would  be 
chaotic.  Tso  teacher  can  possibly  do  efficient  work 
unless  she  works  under  a  well  considered  and  care- 
fully arranged  program.  Such  a  program  will  not 
only  make  teachers  and  pupils  systematic,  but  it 
will  save  much  time  and  make  all  school  work  more 
effective.  As  a  means  of  securing  satisfactory  re- 
sults, it  is  invaluable.  It  is  also  of  great  moral 
value,  because  of  its  potent  influence  in  developing 
habits  of  order,  regularity  and  attention  to  the  work 
in  hand. 

Thoughtful  educators  agree  that  the  ability  to 
make  a  good  program  is  a  fair  criterion  by  which 
the  success  of  an  experienced  teacher  may  be 
judged.  Nowhere  is  there  offered  a  better  oppor- 
tunity for  the  display  of  a  knowledge  of  the  funda- 
mental principles  of  education.  Upon  many  points 


PROGRAMS  FOR  EACH  GRADE.  141 

there  will  always  be  room  for  a  difference  of  opin- 
ion; however,  the  following  suggestions  will  be  ac- 
cepted by  most  as  correct  in  principle.  The  program 
should  provide  a  place  for  all  regular  school  work, 
and  no  study  should  receive  more  than  its  share  of 
time  and  attention.  A  definite  time  should  be  in- 
dicated for  the  preparation  of  most  of  the  lessons  in 
school,  under  the  direction  of  the  teacher.  Studies 
requiring  most  mental  effort  should  come  in  the 
morning  and  at  other  times  when  the  mind  is  most 
active.  Studies  employing  different  faculties 
should  follow  each  other,  for  here,  as  elsewhere,  "a 
change  of  labor  is  rest."  Writing  and  drawing 
should  follow  book  study,  but  never  physical  exer- 
cise of  any  kind.  Physical  exercise,  work  at 
board,  and  other  school  work  involving  change  of 
position,  should  follow  lessons  permitting  but  little 
movement.  All  through  the  program  there  should 
be  a  pleasing  variety.  Recitations  should  be  short 
and  classes  small,  instead  of  the  opposite.  In  the 
primary  grades  the  recitations  should  be  short  and 
frequent.  As  pupils  get  older  the  length  may  be 
increased  and  the  frequency  decreased. 

SILENT  WORK. 

So  much  valuable  time  is  wasted  in  so-called 
"busy  work"  that  it  seems  important  to  emphasize 
the  importance  of  proper  silent  work. 


142  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

A  large  portion  of  the  time  in  school  cannot  be 
spent  in  the  recitation.  It  is  best  that  it  should  be 
so,  for,  except  in  the  highest  grades,  nearly  all  of 
the  preparation  for  recitation  should  be  made  in 
school.  Home  work  and  silent  work,  for  all  grades, 
should  be  for  the  purpose  of  fixing  firmly  in  the 
mind  the  truths  brought  out  in  the  recitation,  or  for 
the  purpose  of  preparing  for  the  recitation  by 
means  of  suitable  tasks.  The  planning  for  thi& 
silent  seat  work  is  one  of  the  most  important  parts 
of  every  teacher's  work.  ISTo  one  thing  is  more 
vital  to  successful  management  and  discipline. 
Left  alone,  the  pupils  will  not  only  keep  busy,  but 
they  will  also  keep  the  teacher  more  than  busy. 
But  they  must  be  kept  busy  upon  such  silent  work 
as  will  either  prepare  them  for  the  recitation  or  sup- 
plement it.  To  do  this  demands  careful  planning, 
but  it  is  one  of  the  most  important  parts  of  a  teach- 
er's preparation.  The  failure  to  realize  this  is  one 
of  the  most  potent  causes  of  the  downfall  of  the 
majority  of  those  not  succeeding.  While  the  care- 
ful planning  of  the  seat  work  is  of  so  great  impor- 
tance in  every  school,  it  is  especially  so  with  this 
plan  of  grading,  under  which  much  time  in  school  is 
given  for  the  preparation  of  lessons. 

No  program  can  be  made  to  suit  all  conditions. 
Therefore,  no  teacher  should  force  any  school  to  fit 
a  given  program;  but  the  effort  should  be  made  to 


PROGRAMS  FOR  EACH  GRADE.       143 

make  a  program  wliicli  will  meet  the  conditions  ex- 
isting. However,  to  give  a  general  idea  of  the 
method  of  managing  the  divisions  under  this  plan 
of  grading,  a  partial  program  is  given  for  the  dif- 
ferent grades.  Generally  only  that  part  of  the 
program  is  given  which  is  a  requirement  of  this 
plan  of  grading,  for  the  reason  that  it  is  believed  to 
be  best  not  to  interfere  with  the  teacher  more  than 
is  necessary  to  meet  the  demands  of  the  plan. 

Some  teachers  of  the  primary  grades  prefer  to 
have  reading  before  the  arithmetic;  but  after  much 
hesitation  arithmetic  has  been  placed  first,  for  the 
reason  that  experience  has  proved  this  arrangement 
most  satisfactory.  The  having  of  certain  impor- 
tant branches  at  about  the  same  time  in  all  grades 
makes  it  easy  for  pupils  who  are  not  quite  up  to  the 
lowest  division  of  the  higher  grade  to  recite  with 
the  highest  division  of  their  own  class,  and  also  the 
lowest  division  of  the  next  higher  grade,  without 
losing  a  recitation  in  any  other  lesson.  It  makes  it 
possible  to  dovetail  the  work  of  one  grade  into  that 
of  another,  so  that  pupils  may  easily  pass  from  one 
class  to  another  without  omitting  any  important 
work. 

It  is  also  an  important  help  to  have  the  lower 
divisions  listen  while  the  next  higher  division  is 
receiving  instruction.  When  pupils  are  but  a  short 
distance  behind  others,  it  is  wonderful  how  much 


144  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

they  will  learn  from  following  closely  the  recita- 
tions. Some  who  have  worked  in  the  ungraded 
school  realize  this  in  a  vague  way,  but  none  who 
have  not  tried  this  or  a  similar  method  'will  be  able 
to  even  faintly  appreciate  the  ease  with  which  chil- 
dren learn  from  other  children.  Care  should  be 
taken  to  see  that  pupils  are  following  closely,  and 
when  the  work  is  such  that  they  cannot  be  benefited 
by  attending  to  the  recitation  they  should  be  given 
other  work. 

Each  session  one  period  is  saved  for  the  purpose 
of  giving  attention  to  the  special  needs  of  individual 
pupils.  This  is  very  important.  It  will  not  do  to 
say  that  much  of  the  teacher's  work  is  given  to 
helping  the  individual,  and,  therefore,  this  is  un- 
necessary. At  this  time  the  teacher  should  answer 
questions  which  arise  in  the  work,  and  endeavor  to 
help  each  pupil  who  needs  assistance.  This  time 
should  also  be  made  use  of  to  see  to  it  that  every 
pupil  fully  understands  the  perplexing  parts  of  the 
work  already  covered.  There  are  but  few  of  these 
points  in  each  grade,  and  by,  a  proper  use  of  this 
special  period  no  teacher  need  be  ignorant  of  what 
the  pupils  really  know  about  the  work  at  the  danger 
points. 

PROGRAM  FOR  FIRST  YEAR. 

Perhaps  the  hardest  program  to  arrange  satisfac- 
torily is  that  for  the  first  year,  as  pupils  are  so 


PROGRAMS  FOR  EACH  GRADE.       145 

young  that  it  is  difficult  to  keep  them  busy  without 
the  constant  supervision  of  the  teacher.  The  fol- 
lowing program  is  given  as  suggestive  to  those  who 
are  working  in  this  grade. 

MORNING. 

First  Period.  Opening  exercises,  memory  erems, 
morals  and  manners,  for  all  divisions. 

Second  Period.  A  Division — Arithmetic.  B 
Division — Attention  to  those  reciting,  if  they  can 
be  benefited;  if  not,  they  may  be  given  slate  work. 
C  Division — Busy  work. 

Third  Period.     Calisthenics  for  all. 

Fo'urth  Period.  A  Division — Written  work.  B 
Division — Arithmetic.  C  Division — Attention  to 
division  reciting,  or  varied  slate  work. 

Fifth  Period.     Writing  for  all,  or  recess. 

Sixth  Period.  Drill  in  phonics  or  other  work 
preparatory  for  reading  for  all. 

Seventh  Period.  A  Division — Reading.  B  Di- 
vision— Attention  to  class  reciting.  C  Division — 
Writing  numbers. 

Eighth  Period.  A  Division — Writing  new 
words  in  advanced  lesson.  B  Division — Reading. 
C  Division — Attention  to  division  reciting,  or  busy 
work. 

Ninth  Period.     Marching  or  calisthenics  for  all. 

Tenth  Period.  A  Division — Same  as  last  period. 
B  Division — Writing  of  words  in  advanced  lesson, 
C  Division — Reading. 


146  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

Eleventh  Period.  All  busy  with,  slate  work, 
that  the  teacher's  entire  attention  may  be  given  to 
individual  needs. 

AFTERNOON. 

First  Period.  A  Division — Heading.  B  Di- 
vision— Attention  to  recitation,  or  slate  work.  C 
Division — Same. 

Second  Period.  A  Division — Slate  work.  B 
Division — Reading.  C  Division — Attention  to 
recitation  or  busy  work. 

Third  Period.     Marching  or  calisthenics  for  all. 

Fourth  Period.  A  Division — Same  as  last,  busy 
work,  or  writing  new  words.  B  Division — Writ- 
ing words  of  new  lesson.  C  Division — Reading. 

Fifth  Period.  Silent  work  of  some  kind  for  all, 
that  the  teacher  may  be  free  to  give  attention  to 
any  needing  special  help.  This  will  give  an  oppor- 
tunity to  pupils  to  ask  questions,  without  interrupt- 
ing during  recitations. 

Many  will  at  once  say  that  it  is  not  possible  to 
have  so  many  recitation  periods  each  day;  but  such 
are  mistaken.  With  recitation  periods  about  fifteen 
minutes  in  length,  the  above  takes  but  two  hours 
for  the  two  most  important  subjects,  and  leaves 
three  hours  for  the  less  important  branches,  and  for 
additional  divisions  wherever  needed.  As  few 
teachers  will  have  any  trouble  in  placing  other  sub- 
jects, it  is  not  thought  necessary  to  mention  them. 


PROGRAMS  FOR  EACH  GRADE.  147 

PROGRAM  FOR  SECOND  YEAR. 
MORNING. 

First  Period.  Opening  exercises,  memory  gems, 
morals  and  manners,  for  all  divisions. 

Second  Period.     Easy  mental  problems  for  all. 

Third  Period.  A  Division — Arithmetic.  B 
Division — Attention  to  recitation  or  written  work 
in  arithmetic.  C  Division — Writing  names  and 
figures. 

Fourth  Period.  A  Division — Written  work  in 
arithmetic.  B  Division — Arithmetic.  C  Divi- 
sion— Attention  to  division  reciting,  or  silent  work. 

Fifth  Period.  A  Division — Same  as  last  period. 
B  Division — Written  work  in  arithmetic.  C  Di- 
vision— Arithmetic. 

Sixth  Period.     Calisthenics  for  all. 

Seventh  Period.  All  busy  with  silent  work,  that 
the  teacher  may  give  entire  attention  to  helping  in- 
dividuals. Pupils  who  have  questions  to  ask  con- 
cerning any  part  of  the  work  may  well  ask  them  at 
this  time,  when  they  will  not  interrupt  recitation. 

Eighth  Period.     Recess. 

Ninth  Period.  A  Division — Reading.  B  Di- 
vision— Attention  to  recitation  or  study  reading. 
C  Division — Written  work  from  board. 

Tenth  Period.  A  Division — Writing  words  of 
new  lesson  in  reading,  or  written  work  from  the 
board.  B  Division — Reading.  C  Division — At- 
tention to  the  recitation  or  study  reading. 

Eleventh  Period.     A  Division — Study  reading, 


148  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

write  new  words,  or  Roman  numbers.     B  Division 
— Same.     C  Division — Heading. 

AFTERNOON. 

First  Period.  Easy  supplementary  reading  for 
all  divisions,  if  possible.  C  Division  may  follow 
others  and  learn  what  they  can. 

Second  Period.  A  Division — Language.  B 
Division — Same.  C  Division — Attention  to  reci- 
tation or  silent  work. 

Third  Period.  A  Division — Silent  work.  B 
Division — Same.  C  Division — Language. 

Fourth  Period.  All  busy  with  silent  work  of 
some  kind,  that  teacher  may  attend  to  needs  of  in- 
dividuals and,  see  that  difficult  points  in  lessons  are 
comprehended  by  all. 

With  recitations  from  fifteen  to  twenty  minutes 
in  length,  about  two  hours  will  be  used  for  arith- 
metic and  reading.  The  remaining  three  hours 
may  be  used  for  an  extra  division,  wherever  needed, 
and  for  the  other  branches. 

PROGRAM  FOR  THIRD  YEAR. 
The  program  in  this  grade  may  be  about  the 
same  as  in  the  second  year,  though  the  pupils  can 
do  much  more  silent  work.  They  may  also  be 
graded  a  little  more  closely  in  language,  if  this 
branch  is  taken  separately.  "With  recitations  about 
twenty  minutes  in  length,  this  will  still  leave  almost 
three  hours  for  the  less  important  branches. 


PROGRAMS  FOR  EACH  GRADE.       149 

Pupils  should  be  followed  very  closely  in  this  grade, 
to  see  that  each  one  is  thorough  in  the  essential 
parts  of  the  work.  If  the  time  can  be  spared,  it 
will  prove  beneficial  to  make  the  periods  for  indi- 
vidual instruction  longer.  If  pupils  fall  behind 
those  in  the  lowest  division  in  arithmetic  or  read- 
ing, they  should  be  placed  in  separate  divisions 
until  they  are  able  to  work  with  one  of  the  regular 
divisions.  It  will  often  be  found  advantageous  to 
have  pupils  recite  with  the  lowest  division  when 
that  division  is  reviewing  the  portion  of  the  work 
in  which  they  are  deficient.  This  they  may  easily 
do  and  still  retain  membership  in  their  regular  di- 
vision". 

PROGRAM  FOR  FOURTH  YEAR. 
MORNING. 

First  Period.  Opening  exercises  as  in  preceding 
grades. 

Second  Period.  A  Division — Arithmetic.  B 
Division — Attention  to  recitation  or  preparation  of 
lesson  in  arithmetic.  C  Division — Prepare  lesson 
in  arithmetic. 

Third  Period.  A  Division — Work  in  arith- 
metic. B  Division — Recite  arithmetic.  C  Divi- 
sion— Attention  to  recitation  or  same  as  last  period. 

Fourth  Period.     Calisthenics  for  all. 

Fifth  Period.  A  Division — Study  reading.  B 
Division — Same.  C  Division — Recite  Arithmetic. 


150  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

Sixth  Period.     Recess. 

Seventh  Period.  A  Division — Recite  reading. 
B  Division — Same,  if  the  two  divisions  do  not  make 
too  large  a  class.  C  Division — Study  reading  or 
give  attention  to  recitation. 

Eighth  Period.  A  Division — Study  language. 
B  Division — Same.  C  Division — Recite  reading. 

Ninth  Period.  Silent  work  for  all,  that  teacher 
may  give  assistance  to  individuals  needing  help  in 
any  subject. 

AFTERNOON. 

First  Period.  A  Division — Recite  language. 
B  Division — Same.  C  Division — Study. 

Second  Period.  A  Division — Study.  B  Divi- 
sion— Same.  C  Division — Recite  language. 

Third  Period.  Study  of  geography  by  all,  un- 
der direction  of  teacher. 

"With  the  exception  of  the  subjects  mentioned,  it 
will  not  generally  be  found  necessary  to  have  pupils 
in  this  grade  separated  into  small  divisions.  How- 
ever, many  teacher  prefer  to  divide  in  most  of  the 
subjects  for  the  purpose  of  recitation. 

PROGRAM  FOR  FIFTH  YEAR. 

MORNING. 

First  Period.     Opening  exercises. 
Second  Period.     A  Division — Recite  arithmetic. 
Other  divisions  study. 

Third  Period.  B  Division — Recite  arithmetic. 
Other  divisions  study. 


PROGRAMS  FOR  EACH  GRADE.  151 

Fourth  Period.  C  Division — Recite  arithmetic. 
Other  divisions  study. 

Fifth  Period.  All  busy  with  assigned  work,  that 
teacher  may  give  aid  to  those  needing  help  at  par- 
ticular points. 

Sixth  Period.     Recess. 

Seventh  Period.  A  Division — Recite  language. 
B  Division — -Study. 

Eighth  Period.  B  Division — Recite  language. 
A  Division — Study. 

The  rest  of  the  program  may  be  arranged  as 
thought  best.  There  should  be  two  divisions  in 
geography.  Pupils  may  generally  work  together 
in  other  branches  of  this  grade.  With  recitations 
about  twenty  minutes  in  length,  plenty  of  time  will 
be  left  for  other  subjects. 

PROGRAMS    FOR    SIXTH,    SEVENTH    AND    EIGHTH 

YEARS. 
MORNING. 

First  Period.     Opening  exercises. 

Second  Period.  A  Division — Arithmetic.  B 
Division — Study. 

Third  Period.  A  Division — Study.  B  Divi- 
sion— Arithmetic. 

Fourth  Period.     Some  restful  exercise. 

Fifth  Period.  Study  of  such  character  as  will 
keep  all  busy,  that  teacher  may  devote  entire  atten- 
tion to  assisting  individuals. 

Sixth  Period.     Recess. 


152  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

Seventh  Period.  A  Pijdsion — Eecite  language 
or  grammar.  B  Division — Study. 

Eighth  Period.  A  Division — Study.  B  Divi- 
sion— Recite  language  or  grammar. 

The  rest  of  the  program  may  be  arranged  as 
seems  best.  It  will  generally  be  found  best  to  have 
the  class  divided  in  geography  and  history.  Some- 
times the  division  may  receive  explanations  at  the 
same  time,  if  they  are  working  in  the  same  part  of 
the  subject;  but  even  in  this  case  better  results  will 
be  secured  by  having  each  division  recite  separ- 
ately. Recitations  may  be  about  twenty-five  min- 
utes in  length. 


Chapter  XVI. 


MEANS  OF  REACHING  THE  INDIVIDUAL 

AND  HELPING  THE  FUTURE 

TEACHERS. 

The  importance  of  following  closely  the  individ- 
ual pupil  has  already  been  emphasized,  and  atten- 
tion has  been  called  to  the  fact  that  no  plan  will 
answer  the  demands  of  the  present  age,  unless  it 
conserves  the  interests  of  the  individual  without  in- 
terfering with  the  rights  of  the  majority. 

It  should  be  remembered  that  a  satisfactory 
method  of  grading  must  secure  the  principal  advan- 
tages of  individual  teaching  and  yet  retain  the 
many  benefits  of  class  instruction.  While  provi- 
ding suitable  work  for  the  class,  it  must  also  make  it 
easy  for  the  pupils  to  pass  from  one  class  to  another, 
so  that  the  work  at  all  times  may  be  fitted  to  the 
rate  of  progress,  stage  of  development,  and  char- 
acter of  attainments  of  each  individual.  How, 
under  this  method,  this  much  desired  end  may  be 
appreciably  approached,  if  not  fully  attained,  may 


154  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

have  already  appeared  to  the  thoughtful  reader. 
However,  to  obviate  the  necessity  of  re-reading,  sev- 
eral means  which  this  plan  offers  of  getting  closer 
to  the  individuals  are  mentioned.  It  is  hoped  that 
they  will  make  plain  the  fact  that  reaching  the  in- 
dividual is  not  only  very  important,  but  is  also  quite 
feasible. 

REACHING  THE  INDIVIDUAL  IN  THE  CLASS. 

As  the  pupils  under  each  teacher  are  accurately 
classified  according  to  their  abilities  and  their  at- 
tainments, it  follows  that  in  the  less  important  sub- 
jects the  instruction  given  to  all  will  be  suited  to 
each  individual.  Therefore,  this  will  enable  the 
teacher  to  make  the  instruction  beneficial  to  every 
pupil  in  the  class.  This  the  teacher  cannot  do  as 
schools  are  generally  graded,  for  in  almost  every 
school  there  are  many  who  cannot  be  benefited  by 
much  of  the  instruction. 

Even  in  the  less  important  subjects  the  pupils  are 
often  divided  into  groups  for  the  purpose  of  oral 
testing,  so  that  thus  each  is  met  by  searching  ques- 
tions upon  the  important  parts  of  the  subject. 

REACHING  THE  INDIVIDUAL  IN  THE  GROUP. 
In  the  more  important  branches  the  pupils  are 
divided  into  small  groups  for  the  purpose  of  in- 
struction, drill,  and  testing.     Here,  in  the  smaller 
divisions,  the  teacher  comes  into  closer  contact  with 


REACHING  THE  INDIVIDUAL.  155 

each  pupil,  so  that  there  is  no  possibility  of  the  un- 
prepared pupil  escaping. 

The  pupil  can  neither  rely  upon  being  passed  by 
nor  upon  learning  the  lesson  by  hearing  many  oth- 
ers recite.  Every  pupil  knows  that  unless  prepared 
it  is  not  safe  to  go  to  the  recitation.  Being  very 
accurately  classified,  the  instruction  may  be  exactly 
suited  to  each,  though  given  to  all.  The  drilling 
and  the  testing  can  be  directed  to  the  specific  ends 
which  the  certain  knowledge  of  the  pupils'  pro- 
ficiency makes  desirable.  With  such  close  classifi- 
cation, each  question  asked  by  the  teacher  and  each 
answer  given  by  the  pupil  is  of  value  to  all  pupils 
in  the 'group. 

REACHING  THE  INDIVIDUAL  IN  THE  STUDY  PERIOD, 

Under  this  plan  two  periods  each  day  are  re- 
served for  the  specific  purpose  of  giving  close  at- 
tention to  the  needs  of  individuals.  Thus  the 
teacher  comes  into  still  closer  contact  with  each, 
and  discovers  individual  peculiarities,  deficiencies 
and  superiorities.  These  reserve  periods  are  not 
only  of  great  value  to  the  pupils,  but  they  are  also 
of  great  benefit  to  the  teacher,  and  may  be  used  for 
the  purpose  of  answering  questions  and  helping  in- 
dividuals, instead  of  being  frequently  interrupted 
for  these  purposes  during  the  recitations. 


156  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

REACHING    THE    INDIVIDUAL   BY   MEANS    OF   THE 
RECORD. 

Another  valuable  means  of  insuring  a  careful 
consideration  and  thorough  knowledge  of  each  in- 
dividual is  the  record  which  each  teacher  is  re- 
quired to  keep.  This  record  shows  the  following 
facts  for  each  pupil:  The  age;  the  record  made 
in  every  subject;  the  effort;  the  deportment;  the 
tardiness;  the  days  present;  the  exact  portion  of 
work  done  satisfactorily;  the  time  lost  or  gained; 
the  number  of  extra  promotions  and  reclassifica- 
tions;  the  time  spent  in  each  grade;  the  record  of 
work  in  each  division;  the  mental,  moral  or  physical 
peculiarities  of  each,  which  may  be  of  value  in 
properly  estimating  the  character  and  the  amount 
of  work  which  may  reasonably  be  expected  of  each 
pupil;  and  suggestions  as  to  the  methods  of  instruc- 
tion, management,  and  discipline  best  suited  to 
special  cases.  Such  a  record  is  of  inestimable  value 
as  a  means  of  securing  practical  child  study  on  the 
part  of  every  teacher.  A  glance  at  this  record 
gives  to  each  teacher  the  accumulated  experience  of 
the  preceding  teachers.  It  makes  it  comparatively 
easy  to  manage  and  instruct  many  who  otherwise 
would  never  have  been  understood  or  interested. 

In  almost  every  school  there  are  a  number  of 
very  troublesome  pupils  who  prove  to  be  thorns  in 
the  flesh.  A  careful  study  is  made  of  such;  and 


REACHING  THE  INDIVIDUAL.  157 

suggestions  are  given  as  to  the  best  methods  of 
reaching  such  individuals.  The  value  of  such 
knowledge  to  the  teacher  receiving  the  pupils  will 
be  understood  and  appreciated  by  every  teacher  of 
experience. 

By  thus  coming  closer  to  the  individual,  the 
teacher  not  only  gains  the  sympathy  of  the  pupils, 
but  what  is  equally  important  for  the  proper  de- 
velopment of  their  characters,  the  teacher's  warm- 
est sympathy  goes  out  to  the  pupils.  The  school 
becomes  a  pleasant  place,  and  the  teacher  has  but 
little  trouble  in  enlisting  the  pupils'  permanent  in- 
terest-in all  school  work.  Thus  out  of  those  who 
seem  to  be  laggards  or  worse  there  are  often  devel- 
oped earnest  seekers  after  knowledge;  and  in  place 
of  confirmed  idlers  or  troublesome  truants  there  ap- 
pear earnest  workers, who  are  happier  in  school  than 
elsewhere.  By  getting  close  to  each  individual  the 
strong  mind  of  the  true  teacher  comes  into  close 
contact  with  the  weaker  mind  of  the  pupil,  warms 
into  life  the  dormant  faculties,  and  inspires  healthy 
activity  in  all. 

This  close  study  of  each  pupil  enables  every 
teacher  to  discover  many  important  traits  of  char- 
acter, and  the  physical  peculiarities  which,  but  for 
this  plan,  would  never  have  been  discovered.  In  a 
vague  way  thoughtful  educators  know  that  many 
pupils  are  suffering  greatly  because  they  are  not 


158  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

thoroughly  understood;  yet  all  will  be  surprised  to 
learn  how  many  there  are  in  every  school  who, 
though  deserving  special  attention,  are  not  discov- 
ered, even  by  the  watchful  teacher. 

Many  who  had  been  condemned  as  lazy,  or  as 
unusually  dull,  were  found  to  be  near-sighted;  and, 
having  been  placed  in  the  rear  of  the  room,  were 
unable  to  receive  benefit  from  the  explanation  of 
blackboard  work  given  by  teacher  and  pupils. 
Many  others  had  been  considered  slow,  when,  in 
reality,  they  were  partially  deaf,  and  for  years  had 
been  placed  at  a  distance  from  the  teacher,  and  for 
this  reason  had  received  but  little  benefit  from 
either  the  instruction  or  the  recitation. 

Pupils  who  are  afflicted  with  any  physical  weak- 
ness are  always  disposed  to  hide  their  deficiencies, 
and  many  are  so  sensitive  that  for  years  they  are 
able  to  attend  school  day  after  day  without  the 
teachers  discovering  the  fact,  until  special  atten- 
tion is  given  to  the  matter. 

If  this  Individual  Record  had  done  nothing  more 
than  discover  those  who  were  deficient  in  sight  and 
hearing,  that  their  school  life  might  be  made  more 
pleasant  and  profitable,  it  would  have  repaid  more 
than  a  hundred-fold  the  trouble  it  made. 

To  give  some  idea  of  the  discoveries  made  by  the 
careful  study  of  individuals,  which  this  record  de- 
mands, a  few  typical  cases  are  mentioned.  One 


REACHING  THE  INDIVIDUAL.  150 

record  reads  as  follows :  "J.  M.  seems  to  have  no 
interest  in  school  work.  Inattentive  and  listless, 
but  does  not  resent  correction.  Very  reticent. 
To  all  appearances  is  quite  dull.  Showed  same 
characteristics  in  other  schools."  Some  time  later 
the  following  statement  was  made  by  the  same 
teacher.  "Upon  further  investigation,  I  found 
that  J.  M.  is  neither  dull  nor  lazy.  He  rises  be- 
tween three  and  four  o'clock  each  morning,  and, 
until  time  for  school,  delivers  New  York  papers. 
Many  times  comes  to  school  without  breakfast. 
Does  this  that  he  may  help  to  support  four  younger 
brothers  and  sisters,  who  are  worse  than  fatherless. 
Father  a  drunkard.  Mother  trying  to  keep  family 
together.  When  boy  found  I  had  learned  part,  he 
told  me  all.  I  have  been  very  considerate  of  him, 
and  he  is  proving  himself  an  entirely  different  kind 
of  a  pupil.  Believe  that,  under  more  favorable  cir- 
cumstances, he  would  prove  himself  to  be  one  of 
the  brightest  boys  in  the  school."  Will  any  person 
wonder  that,  under  such  circumstances,  a  boy  could 
have  but  little  enthusiasm  left  for  school  work? 
Unnumbered  pupils  have  had  their  school  lives  cut 
short  because  they  were  not  understood  or  because 
the  teacher  knew  little  and  cared  less  about  their 
peculiar  characters  and  environments.  This  record, 
as  has  been  pointed  out  above,  is  invaluable,  then, 
not  so  much  because  it  requires  teachers  to  know 


160  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

more  of  the  individual  pupils,  but  because  the 
knowledge  gathered  leads  to  the  teachers  having  a 
deeper  sympathy  with  most  of  the  pupils. 

Another  entry  reads  as  follows:  "S.  R.  seemed 
disposed  to  make  all  the  trouble  he  possibly  could. 
Was  suspended,  but  did  no  better.  Told  some  of 
the  pupils  he  wished  to  be  sent  out  of  school.  I 
was  quite  harsh  with  him.  It  is  only  fair  to  say 
that  I  felt  sure  that  there  was  little,  if  any,  good  in 
him.  However,  after  much  trouble,  I  discovered 
that  I  was  entirely  mistaken  in  my  estimate  of  his 
character.  I  found  that  he  wanted  to  be  sus- 
pended, not  because  he  wished  to  run  the  streets, 
but  because  he  wished  to  be  at  home  with  his 
mother,  who  was  dying  of  consumption.  He  loved 
her  better  than  his  own  life,  and  all  he  wanted  was 
to  remain  at  home  and  sit  on  the  back  steps,  outside 
of  his  mother's  room,  that  he  might  be  near  her  all 
the  time.  He  did  not  wish  to  tell  about  it,  but 
when  he  did  his  story  almost  broke  my  heart.  Yet 
I  had  come  very  near  sending  him  for  final  suspen- 
sion, that  he  could  never  return  to  school.  But  for 
the  fact  that  we  are  required  to  make  a  careful 
study  of  all  such  cases,  I  would  never  have  discov- 
ered the  facts  in  the  case.  !Now  that  his  dear 
mother  is  dead,  the  principal  and  I  are  doing  all  in 
our  power  to  comfort  and  help  him,  and  he  is  one 
of  the  mildest,  sweetest  boys  in  the  school." 


REACHING  THE  INDIVIDUAL.  161 

The  above  are  two  of  many  similar  cases  which 
prove  the  great  value  of  having  some  device  which 
will  require  teachers  to  endeavor  to  learn  much  of 
each  child  committed  to  their  care.  Who  can  esti- 
mate the  number  of  friendless  boys  and  girls  who 
might  have  been  saved,  if  only  the  teacher  had 
known  all  the  facts?  Is  it  any  wonder  that  con- 
scientious teachers  shrink  from  their  daily  work  lest 
they  unintentionally  turn  some  into  the  downward 
paths? 

As  all  important  facts  concerning  each  individ- 
ual are  recorded,  and  suggestions  made  as  to  the 
methods  of  reaching  many,  the  record  proves  of 
great  value  to  those  teachers  who  receive  the  pupils 
later. 


Chapter  XVIL 


BENEFICIAL  RESULTS  OF  A  RATIONAL 
PLAN  OF  GRADING. 

Instruction  Suited  to  the  Pupils'  Needs.  The 
instruction  is  accurately  suited  to  the  needs  of  the 
pupils  of  each  division.  That  the  instruction 
should  be  suited,  both  in  matter  and  method,  to  the 
ability  and  attainment  of  those  to  be  taught,  is  a 
fundamental  pedagogical  axiom,  upon  which  all 
others  depend,  and  with  which  all  others 
should  be  in  harmony;  yet,  all  know  that  it 
is  violated  in  each  recitation  of  nearly  every  school 
of  our  land,  for  the  extremes  of  the  classes  cannot 
be  benefited  by  the  same  instruction.  Accurate 
adjustment  of  the  instruction  is  possible  under  this 
plan,  for  the  reason  that  pupils  of  very  nearly  equal 
ability  are  always  together.  Why  should  the  "poor 
teacher"'  be  condemned  for  the  unsatisfactory  re- 
sults when  she  is  not  responsible  for  the  existing 
conditions? 

Pupils  Kept  Busy.     The  most  careless  observer 


BENEFITS  OF  A  RATIONAL  PIAN.  1G3 

of  children  knows  that  they  love  to  do  what  re- 
quires a  reasonable  amount  of  effort.  When  pupils 
were  closely  graded,  so  that  work  suitable  to  all 
could  be  assigned,  the  tendency  to  idleness  almost 
vanished,  and  the  need  of  punishment  was  greatly 
diminished  in  all  classes,  and  entirely  disappeared 
from  many.  Under  the  usual  plan,  all  know  that 
the  brighter  children  are  not  kept  busy;  therefore 
they  get  into  mischief. 

Abolishes  the  Intellectual  Treadmill.  It  does 
away  with  the  intellectual  treadmill,  by  which  they 
are  kept  in  constant  motion,  but  never  advance. 
It  requires  and  easily  secures  the  self -activity  on  the 
part  of  almost  every  child.  In  place  of  inatten- 
tion, there  is  interested  attention. 

Essential  Work  Done  Thoroughly.  Under  the 
usual  plan,  pupils  are  not  thorough  in  the  work 
passed  over,  though  they  spend  far  more  time  than 
should  be  required  to  do  more  work  well.  That 
they  should  be  thorough  in  the  essential  work  none 
dare  deny.  It  is  time  we  take  the  blame  from  the 
"poor  teacher"  and  put  it  on  the  poorer  method. 
Under  this  plan,  all  other  things  are  secondary  to 
thoroughness  in  the  essentials.  This  is  easily  se- 
cured, for  teachers  are  not  expected  to  take  pupils 
faster  than  they  can  do  thorough  work.  It  is  no 
longer  wondered  why  pupils  went  to  school  so  long 
and  knew  so  little  when  they  stopped. 


1<W  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

Provides  for  Daily  Adjustment.  In  place  of 
having  the  superintendent  adjust  the  machine 
once  each  year  to  fit  the  convenience  of  superin- 
tendent and  principals,  this  plan  requires  daily  ad- 
justment by  principals  and  teachers  to  suit  the 
needs  of  the  pupils.  While  organization  is  neces- 
sary, it  should  be  flexible  and  pliant,  rather  than 
rigid  and  unyielding. 

The  Bright  and  the  Slow  Benefited.  All  know 
that,  under  the  usual  plan,  the  bright  are  injured 
mentally  and  morally  by  being  held  down  to  the 
pace  of  the  slowest;  the  plodders  are  likewise  in- 
jured by  being  continually  driven  over  the  work 
faster  than  they  should  go.  Under  this  plan,  the 
brighter  pupils  are  allowed  to  move  forward  as  fast 
as  they  can  do  the  work  thoroughly.  The  mental 
and  moral  benefit  resulting  from  this  can  scarcely 
be  overestimated,  and  it  is,  perhaps,  the  most  valu- 
able result  of  this  plan;  for  it  develops  strong,  self- 
reliant  workers,  imbued  with  a  new  and  deep  inter- 
est in  all  knowledge.  It  develops  and  fixes  im- 
proved mental  habits,  so  that  they  become  enthused 
with  that  highest  pleasure  which  comes  from  the 
triumphs  of  the  intellect.  What  is  more  impor- 
tant than  the  development  of  the  habits  of  concen- 
trated attention,  courageous  attack  of  difficulties, 
and  of  persistent,  independent  work?  That  these 
habits  are  results  of  this  plan  of  grading  is  amply 


BENEFITS  OF  A  RATIONAL  PLAN.  165 

proved  to  the  satisfaction  of  those  who  have  had 
experience  with  the  plan.  They  now  see  that  pu- 
pils naturally  find  pleasure  in  suitable  work,  espe- 
cially when  they  find  that  further  progress  is  the 
reward  of  earnest  effort. 

High  School  Attendance  Increased.  On  all 
sides  much  regret  is  expressed  that  so  few  pupils 
reach  the  high  school.  Less  than  two  per  cent  get 
to  the  highest  grammar  grade.  Since  this  plan  of 
grading  was  introduced,  three  years  ago,  the 
number  attending  the  high  school  has  more  than 
doubled. 

Saves  Time  in  the  Recitations.  Most  of  the  time 
used  in  the  recitations  is  wasted  by  explaining  what 
most  pupils  already  know.  Under  this  plan  all  this 
time  and  energy  are  saved.  Therefore  the  recita- 
tion periods  may  be  shortened,  with  profit  to  all. 

Xuinber  Reaching  Higher  Grades  Increased. 
Statistics  prove  that  a  much  larger  proportion  of 
the  pupils  remain  in  school  until  the  higher  grades 
are  reached.  In  every  grammar  school  of  the  city 
there  has  been  an  increase  in  the  proportion  of  pu- 
pils in  the  higher  grades — the  average  per  cent  of 
increase  for  the  different  districts  being  about 
twelve.  Surely  this  is  an  important  matter,  for  in 
some  cities  ninety  per  cent  of  the  pupils  do  not 
reach  the  grammar  grades,  and  the  reports  show 
that  eighty-one  per  cent  of  all  the  pupils  in  the 


166  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

graded  schools  of  this  country  are  in  the  four  lowest 
years  of  a  twelve  years  course. 

Age  of  Pupils  Entering  the  High  School  Low- 
ered. All  deprecate  the  fact  that  pupils  entering 
the  high  school  are  from  one  to  five  years  older 
than  they  should  be.  During  the  past  two  years 
the  average  age  of  those  entering  the  Elizabeth 
high  school  has  decreased  more  than  one  year, 
while  the  classes  about  to  enter  will  still  further  re- 
duce this  average. 

Gives  Encouragement  to  Pupils.  Pupils  are 
greatly  encouraged,  for,  except  because  of  absence, 
there  are  very  few  retrogressions.  There  are  fre- 
quent promotions  of  the  best,  which  result  in 
leaving  the  slower  ones  about  where  they  should  be. 
When  pupils  are  retrograded  they  fall  but  a  short 
distance  behind,  and  are  generally  kept  in  the  same 
room.  The  thoughtful  reader  will  easily  appreci- 
ate the  importance  of  this  provision. 

But  Few  Lose  Time.  As  schools  are  generally 
managed,  if  any  but  the  very  brightest  fall  but  a 
short  distance  behind  the  class,  they  must  stumble 
along  at  the  foot  of  the  class  and  lose  a  year,  when 
but  a  month  or  two  back.  Because  of  sickness,  or  for 
some  of  a  hundred  other  reasons,  nearly  all  of  the 
pupils  do  lose  time,  and  therefore  fail  to  go  for- 
ward. Statistics  gathered  in  different  cities  show 
that  eighty  per  cent  of  the  pupils  lose  from  one  to 


BENEFITS  OF  A  RATIONAL  PLAN.  167 

four  years;  and  for  every  one  hundred  pupils  in 
the  schools  examined,  there  had  been  from  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-five  to  three  hundred  and  seventy 
years  lost.  Under  this  plan,  if  pupils  fall  be- 
hind their  class  they  drop  into  a  class  but  a  short 
distance  behind  the  one  left;  and  as  promotion  may 
come  at  any  time  this  lost  ground  is  easily  recov- 
ered. The  records  in  Elizabeth  show  that,  except 
because  of  absence,  very  few  lose  any  time.  All 
will  acknowledge  that  it  is  an  end  to  be  greatly  de- 
sired, when  the  system  is  such  that  pupils  lose  only 
the  time  they  are  absent.  This  system  not  only 
makes  such  provision  that  absent  pupils  go  forward 
from*  the  points  they  were  when  they  left,  but  it 
makes  it  easy  for  those  of  ability  to  regain  lost 
ground. 

Nearly  All  Are  Promoted  Regularly.  But  few 
fail  to  be  promoted.  Those  who  do  fail  are  not 
discouraged,  for  the  reasons  that  they  know  promo- 
tion may  come  at  any  time  and  lost  ground  may 
easily  be  recovered. 

Ninety  Per  Cent  Gain  Time.  As  under  the  usual 
plan  it  is  almost  impossible  for  a  pupil  to  go  to  ad- 
vanced work  at  any  other  than  the  time  for  regular 
promotions,  it  is  readily  understood  why  but  few 
pupils  gain  time.  Most  of  those  who  seem  to  do 
so  really  lose  the  time  later,  because  they  have 
omitted  much  essential  work.  Under  this  plan, 


168  THE  GEADTNG  OF  SCHOOLS. 

ninety  per  cent  of  those  who  go  through  the  pri- 
mary grades,  or  farther,  will  gain  from  one  to  four 
years.  The  teachers'  records  of  several  thousand 
pupils  show  that,  during  the  past  three  years, 
eighty-five  per  cent  of  the  pupils  in  Elizabeth 
gained  from  one  to  twenty  months'  time;  while 
their  average  gain  was  over  six  months.  This  they 
did  without  any  urging  and  almost  without  their 
knowing  it. 

Secures  Regular  Attendance.  The  plan  makes 
school  a  pleasant  place  and  greatly  aids  in  securing 
regular  and  punctual  attendance.  The  report  of 
the  state  superintendent  shows  that  of  all  the  cities 
and  towns  in  the  state,  Elizabeth  has  the  best  record 
for  regular  and  punctual  attendance. 

Lessons  Prepared  in  School.  In  most  schools 
pupils  recite  nearly  all  of  the  time,  and  there  is  no 
time  left  for  the  preparation  of  lessons  in  school, 
where  most  of  the  lessons  should  be  prepared.  For 
this  reason,  either  the  lessons  are  not  prepared,  or 
they  are  prepared  under  the  direction  of  the  par- 
ents, who  should  not  have  to  instruct  their  children, 
even  if  they  are  qualified  to  do  so.  With  this  plan 
the  pupils  have  more  than  one-half  of  their  time  in 
school  for  the  preparation  of  lessons.  Thus  they 
may  be  prepared  under  the  direction  of  the  teacher, 
who  is  best  qualified,  both  by  knowledge  and  ex- 
perience, and  whose  duty  it  is  to  relieve  the  parents 


BENEFITS  OF  A  RATIONAL  PLAN.  1G9 

of  this  task.  Time  is  provided  both  in  the  morn- 
ing and  afternoon  for  individual  assistance. 

Approved  by  Principals,  Teachers  and  Parents. 
Intelligent  principals  and  teachers  realize  the  weak- 
ness of  the  usual  plan.  Though  not  in  favor  of 
the  plan  at  first,  more  than  ninety  per  cent  of  the 
principals  and  teachers  who  have  worked  under 
this  plan  have  given,  in  writing,  their  reasons  for 
preferring  it  to  any  other.  As  published,  these 
opinions  show  that  the  benefits  to  the  teachers  are 
as  many  and  as  marked  as  those  reaped  by  the  pu- 
pils. On  all  sides  interested  parents  have  ex- 
pressed great  satisfaction  with  the  results  obtained. 

Financial  Saving.  As,  under  the  usual  plan, 
the  great  majority  of  the  pupils  are  forced  to  stop 
school  before  they  reach  the  grammar  grades,  at 
first  sight  it  seems  that  there  may  be  a  saving;  but, 
even  considered  in  this  narrow  way,  there  is  no 
saving,  because  of  the  fact  that  most  of  them  have 
already  lost  as  many  years  as  they  would  likely 
have  spent  in  the  schools.  Under  this  plan,  if  pu- 
pils get  the  same  amount  of  education  as  they 
would  under  the  usual  plan,  they  will  get  it  in  from 
one  to  four  years  less  time;  therefore,  the  district 
would  save  what  it  would  cost  to  educate  the  pupils 
for  the  number  of  years  saved.  For  example: 
The  records  of  a  certain  city,  noted  for  its  schools, 
show  that,  in  the  grammar  grades,  35,000  pupils 


170  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

had  lost  from  one  to  four  years,  with  a  total  loss  of 
not  less  than  87,000  years.  This  number  of  years 
multiplied  by  $40,  the  annual  per  capita  cost  in 
that  city,  shows  a  loss  on  these  pupils  of  $3,480,000. 
But,  at  the  lowest  calculation,  under  this  plan,  these 
pupils  would  have  saved  as  much  time  as  they  lost 
under  the  usual  plan,  thus  saving  to  the  city  $6,- 
960,000.  But  in  this  city,  eighty-five  per  cent 
of  the  pupils  were  not  in  the  grammar  grades.  If 
those  in  the  lower  grades  were  affected  to  the  same 
extent,  then  the  usual  plan  of  grading  would  result 
ill  a  loss  to  the  city  of  $39,440,000.  Or,  under 
this  plan  of  grading,  the  city  would  have  saved 
$46,400,000,  if  all  received  the  same  amount  of 
schooling  as  they  would  have  under  the  usual  plan. 
But  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  the  pupils'  pro- 
ductive lives  would  have  been  lengthened  the  num- 
ber of  years  saved.  Supposing  each  pupil  could 
have  earned  $100  a  year,  this  would  mean  a  saving 
to  the  pupils  of  $201,800,000.  This,  added  to  the 
saving  to  the  city,  would  show  a  total  saving  to  pu- 
pils and  city,  of  $248,200,000.  This  might  be 
continued  further,  but  it  is  sufficient  to  show  that, 
because  of  the  usual  method  of  grading,  there  is  an 
appalling  financial  loss  both  to  the  school  district 
and  to  the  pupils. 


Chapter  XVIIL 


TESTIMONY  OF  PKINCIPALS  AND 
TEACHEKS. 

While  the  seeming  great  increase  in  the  number 
of  recitations  led  some  teachers  to  look  with  dis- 
favor-on the  plan,  before  they  understood  it,  at  the 
end  of  the  first  year's  experience  with  it  they  not 
only  favored  it,  but  ninety-four  per  cent  of  the 
principals  and  teachers  gave  in  writing  their  rea- 
sons for  believing  this  plan  best  for  teachers  and 
pupils.  As  those  considering  any  plan  wish  to 
know  what  the  teachers  who  have  had  experience 
with  the  method  think,  a  few  of  the  many  state- 
ments are  given. 

While  there  are  always  some  ready  to  object  to 
any  change,  experience  in  working  out  and  put- 
ting into  operation  this  plan  shows  that  nearly  all 
the  opposition  comes  from  those  who  have  grown 
to  believe  that  the  schools  are  for  them,  rather  than 
for  the  children;  therefore,  being  more  anxious  to 
save  themselves  trouble  than  to  benefit  the  chil- 


172  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

dren,  they  prefer  to  continue  in  the  "good  old 
way/'  rather  than  make  the  necessary  effort  to  get 
out  of  the  rut.  Others,  who  are  striving  to  break 
away  from  the  present  unsatisfactory  method,  agree 
in  saying  that  the  teachers  always  ready  to  criticise 
their  efforts  are  those  who,  having  been  ironclad  in 
their  methods  and  management,  now  feel  keenly 
the  truth  that  the  effect  of  their  methods  have  been 
most  blighting.  The  beneficial  results  of  this 
method  to  pupils  and  teachers  have  been  so  many 
and  so  marked,  that  not  only  are  the  principals  and 
teachers  unanimous  in  their  hearty  approval,  but 
parents  and  pupils  are  enthusiastic  in  their  indorse- 
ment of  the  method. 

The  following  opinions  as  to  the  beneficial  re- 
sults of  the  plan  were  written  by  principals  and 
teachers  who  had  had  from  ten  to  forty  years'  ex- 
perience with  the  usual  method.  As  most  of  these 
were  written  at  the  end  of  the  first  year's  trial,  they 
call  attention  only  to  the  benefits  which  appear  at 
first.  The  opinions  of  a  few  principals  are  given, 
that  other  principals  may  know  that  the  plan  is 
more  than  satisfactory  to  those  who  are  responsible 
for  the  organization  and  grading  of  the  schools. 
Opinions  of  a  few  teachers  of  each  grade  are  also 
given,  to  show  that  this  plan  is  just  as  satisfactory 
in  one  grade  as  in  another. 


TESTIMONY  OF  TEACHERS.  173 

OPINIONS  OF  PRINCIPALS. 

The  problem  of  how  to  reach  the  individual  stu- 
dent in  the  mass-teaching  of  the  public  schools,  and 
to  advance  him  according  to  his  ability  without  dis- 
couraging those  who  may  be  less  able  or  less  ad- 
vanced, appears  to  have  been  satisfactorily  solved 
by  the  system  recently  introduced  into  the  public 
schools  of  Elizabeth  by  their  superintendent,  Prof. 
Shearer.  The  instruction  is  made  profitable  to  all, 
instead  of  benefiting  only  the  more  brilliant  minds. 
*  *  Another  feature  is  that  when  a  general 
promotion  is  made  the  pupils  are  not  all  sent  in 
bulk  to  the  next  class  without  any  discrimination 
as  to  their  relative  ability,  but  those  who  can  fulfill 
the  requirements  of  the  higher  division  of  that  class 
are  placed  in  that  division  where  they  will  meet 
with  their  peers,  and  those  who  are  less  advanced 
will  seek  their  level  in  some  other  division  of  the 
same  class.  *  *  *  The  most  careless  observer 
can  easily  see  that  a  personal  interest  and  protection 
for  each  pupil,  and  an  equal  rule  of  justice  for  all 
the  pupils,  will  be  established,  which  has  heretofore 
never  been  attempted  in  public  school  instruction. 
Elizabeth  has  been  fortunate  in  secur- 
ing the  benefits  of  this  system  for  her  schools.  * 
Its  good  effects  are  everywhere  apparent. 
'  A  system  that  must  inevitably  be  adopted 
by  every  enlightened  school  board  throughout  the 
country  as  soon  as  the  merits  have  been  fully  under- 
stood. 

During  forty  years  I  have  tried  almost  every 
plan  that  any  one  could  think  of,  but  I  found  noth- 


174  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

ing  satisfactory  until  I  tried  this  plan  of  grading. 
It  not  only  respects  the  individuality  of  the  pupil, 
but  it  does  the  same  for  the  teacher  and  the  princi- 
pal. '"  *  ""  Every  sensible  person  who  under- 
stands the  system  and  believes  the  schools  are  for 
the  children,  must  be  unalterably  in  favor  of  Super- 
intendent Shearer's  new  system. 

I  am  heart  and  hand  in  favor  of  grading,  and  it 
certainly  meets  the  requirements  of  our  schools. 
Many  children  have  made  more  progress  in  their 
studies  than  we  thought  possible  at  the  outset ;  but 
the  grading  has  made  it  possible  for  each  child  to 
do  according  to  its  ability. 

The  system  of  grading  is  an  excellent  thing. 
We  fully  believe  that  each  individual  scholar  has 
been  benefited  by  the  division  of  the  classes,  and 
the  special  needs  of  each  child  have  been  more 
closely  studied  and  better  reached. 

It  seems  to  adapt  itself  to  all  conditions  of  the 
classroom.  It  affords  an  opportunity  for  each 
child  to  seek  his  own  level.  If  he  is  ambitious  and 
gifted  with  ability  to  move  fasten  than  his  less  for- 
tunate associates  he  finds  himself  free  to  go  on,  with 
no  barriers  in  front.  If  he  is  destined  to  belong  to 
the  great  "mediocrity,"  he  will  find  himself  in  con- 
genial company.  It  aids  discipline  by  leaving  the 
least  possible  number  unoccupied,  and  thus  re- 
moves the  tremendous  strain  from  that  teacher 
who  attempts  to  hold  the  attention  of  forty-five  or 
fifty  pupils  during  a  long  recitation.  The  plan 
develops  the  individuality  of  the  teacher,  since  she 
is  thrown  more  upon  her  own  resources,  and  given 


TESTIMONY  OF  TEACHERS.  175 

an  opportunity  to  think,  act  and  adapt  herself  to 
the  character  of  her  pupils.  It  offers  an  incentive 
to  the  class.  A  lazy  boy  is  awakened  into  activity 
by  seeing  his  more  industrious  associates  quietly 
and  steadily  slipping  away  from  him;  while  a  pupil 
who  has  failed  to  earn  promotion  is  encouraged,  for 
he  knows  that  his  failure  does  not  throw  him  back 
a  whole  year. 

The  system  of  grading  meets,  I  believe,  a  long- 
felt  need.  It  cannot  but  be  of  advantage  to  both 
teacher  and  pupil.  Its  advantages  are  legion.  It 
brings  out  the  teacher's  individuality,  assists  her  to 
better  understand  the  ability  of  the  pupil,  makes  it 
possible  to  aid  them  more  readily,  and  relieves  her 
from  the  terrible  (no  other  word  expresses  it)  strain 
of  feeling  that  her  ability  as  a  teacher  is  questioned 
if  every  scholar  does  not  reach  the  same  standing. 
When  that  fear  is  removed,  she  has  all  that  extra 
energy  (and  who  can  say  that  it  is  not  a  little)  to 
spend  upon  the  development  of  the  children. 

Instruction  is  better  suited  to  the  needs  of  the 
pupil.  Consequently  more  satisfactory  results  are 
likely  to  follow,  more  progress  possible,  and  more 
thoroughness.  The  lessons  assigned  can  be  better 
adapted  to  the  pupil's  ability.  There  is  a  stronger 
incentive  to  merit  promotion  to  the  higher  divi- 
sions. 

It  has  proved  very  satisfactory.  Every  class  in 
the  school  has  completed  the  work  of  the  grade,  and 
many  of  the  children  in  each  class  are  well  ad- 
vanced in  the  work  of  the  coming  year.  It  has  ex- 
cited a  healthful  ambition  in  teachers  and  scholars 


176  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

alike.  It  has  shown  both  what  they  could  do  when 
allowed  "to  spread  their  wings  and  fly."  The 
slower  children,  by  being  grouped  with  equals,  are 
not  discouraged  by  constant  comparison  of  their 
work  with  that  of  the  brighter  ones.  They  may  be 
among  the  leaders  in  their  own  division,  whereas,  if 
trying  to  pursue  the  work  of  the  advanced  class, 
they  would  be  the  laggards,  and  discouragement 
would  surely  follow.  Quick  and  slow  have  been 
alike  benefited,  the  latter  spurred  on  and  none  re- 
tarded. It  gives  the  teacher  a  chance  she  did  not 
have  under  the  old  system. 

OPINIONS  OF  TEACHERS. 
First  Year. 

Brighter  pupils  are  not  kept  waiting  for  their 
less  fortunate  neighbors.  It  makes  the  majority 
of  pupils  ambitious.  It  gives  the  teacher  an  op- 
portunity to  reach  the  individual  pupil. 

Better  results  can  be  secured  when  the  attention 
does  not  flag.  The  brighter  scholars  can  make  as 
rapid  progress  as  their  mental  development  war- 
rants. The  teacher  can  much  more  rapidly  find 
out  the  weak  points  of  the  pupils,  and  by  giving 
them  more  individual  attention  can  help  them  to 
make  more  rapid  advancement  in  a  given  time. 

Under  the  present  system  of  grading  tke  needs 
of  the  child  may  be  better  met.  The  old  way  was 
somewhat  like  making  a  square  fit  into  a  circle,  or 
a  pint  hold  a  quart.  The  pressure  upon  the  slow 
one  caused  him  to  become  worried  and  nervous;  it 
made  school  a  burden  and  not  a  pleasure.  The  re- 


TESTIMONY  OF  TEACHERS.  17T 

pression  of  the  brighter  ones  caused  them  to  lose 
interest  in  the  work,  and,  to  illustrate  well  the  old 
couplet:  "Satan  finds  some  mischief  still  for  idle 
hands  to  do." 

A  child  kept  busy  with  work  suited  to  his  needs 
and  ability  cannot  fail  to  make  progress.  Under 
the  present  system  this  can  be  done  with  advantage 
both  to  teacher  and  scholar.  Better  attention  can 
be  secured.  With  the  small  groups  it  is  easier  to 
find  out  what  each  child  knows. 

Second  Year. 

It  is  a  satisfactory  solution  for  many  of  the  prob- 
lems that  have  always  arisen  in  connection  with  our 
present- school  system  generally.  In  my  own  class, 
the  results  of  the  new  system  have  fully  proven  its 
good  qualities.  From  the  first  a  marked  division 
as  to  mentality  was  apparent,  and  had  I  been 
obliged  to  force  all  to  attain  the  same  standard  the 
effect  would  have  been  distressing  to  teacher  and 
pupils.  The  system  has  also  acted  as  a  stimulus  to 
effort  and  results  that  I  would  not  have  believed 
possible. 

I  prefer  it  to  any  other  system,  since  it  enables 
the  teacher  to  become  thoroughly  acquainted  with 
the  ability  and  progress  of  every  individual  pupil, 
and  aids  her  in  leading  them  on,  step  by  step. 

I  know  more  about  my  pupils  individually  than 
I  did,  and  more  time  can  be  given  for  individual 
help. 

The  children  know  better  how  they  stand  in  the 
subjects  in  which  they  are  divided.  The  discipline 


178  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

in  my  room  has  improved.  The  attention  has  also 
improved.  Both  the  bright  pupils  and  the  slow 
ones  are  helped  by  it. 

Third  Year. 

It  enables  bright  children  to  advance  more  rap- 
idly. A  child  absent  from  school  can  take  up  the 
work  where  he  left  off  and  again  work  his  way  up. 
Increases  emulation. 

Bright  pupils  are  not  kept  back.  Slower  pupils 
are  not  pushed  ahead.  Better  attention  is  secured. 

Assists  the  teacher  to  understand,  and  therefore 
helps  each  child  at  his  weakest  point.  It  helps 
each  child  along  as  rapidly  as  he  is  capable  of  pro- 
gressing. It  develops  a  spirit  of  independence.  It 
accomplishes  more  work,  with  greater  thorough- 
ness and,  therefore,  better  results.  It  makes  possi- 
ble frequent  promotions. 

The  advantages  of  the  grading  system  are  that 
the  bright  ones  are  not  ker»t  back,  and  the  slow  and 
particularly  lazy  ones  are  inspired  to  work. 

Fourth  Year. 

Bright  pupils  can  advance  as  rapidly  as  they  are 
able.  Dull  pupils  need  not  waste  their  time  trying 
to  do  something  entirely  beyond  them.  Recitation 
periods  can  be  shorter,  and  thus  the  interest  in  the 
lesson  more  easily  sustained. 

Grading  this  way  enables  a  teacher  to  work  with 
fewer  pupils  at  a  time.  There  are  shorter  periods 
for  each  lesson.  The  teacher  can  secure  better  at- 
tention and  give  more  time  to  those  who  need  more 
help. 


TESTIMONY  OF  TEACHERS.  179 

Grading  secures  better  attention.  It  awakens  in 
the  pupil  the  desire  to  go  ahead  and  keep  ahead. 

The  grading  system  allows  the  brighter  pupils  to 
advance  rapidly,  promotes  their  individual  effort 
and  ambition.  The  slower  pupils  have  found  their 
level  and  are  stimulated  to  increased  effort. 

Fifth  Year. 

It  gives  the  slow  ones  a  place  where  they  can 
work,  and  thus  incites  greater  interest;  the  others 
can  advance  more  rapidly  because  the  slow  ones  are 
not  hindering  them. 

Better  attention  is  obtained  from  a  smaller  class. 
A  smaller  class  gives  an  opportunity  for  more  indi- 
vidual assistance  on  part  of  the  teacher.  Brighter 
pupils  advance  more  rapidly. 

The  brighter  pupils  have  a  chance  to  advance 
more  rapidly.  The  lazy  pupils  become  more  ambi- 
tious. The  slow  pupils  are  not  pushed  beyond 
their  ability,  consequently  make  more  progress. 
The  pupils  have  more  time  for  studying  during 
during  school  hours;  can  be  kept  more  busy,  and 
have  less  time  for  play. 

Can  find  more  exactly  what  each  pupil  can  do. 
Can  help  individuals  much  better  than  when  the 
class  is  in  one  large  division.  The  children  are  in- 
terested; the  backward  ones  ambitious  to  advance 
to  a  higher  division.  Scholars  advance  more  rap- 
idly and  are  more  thorough. 

Sixth  Year. 

It  allows  more  time  for  individual  work  among 
pupils.  It  allows  the  brighter  pupils  to  advance 


180  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

more  rapidly.  It  enables  the  more  backward  pu- 
pils to  more  thoroughly  understand  their  work. 

The  brighter  pupils  are  not  held  back  by  the 
slow  ones,  and  therefore  advance  more  rapidly. 
The  slow  pupils  are  not  made  to  hurry,  and  there- 
fore make  more  progress.  More  time  can  be  al- 
lowed pupils  for  study  during  school  hours. 

More  direct  attention  can  be  given  to  those  who 
need  help  in  any  particular  thing.  It  allows  the 
brighter  ones  to  go  on  faster  than  they  otherwise 
could.  It  improves  the  attention.  It  incites  pu- 
pils to  study  in  order  to  be  in  the  highest  division. 

I  think  the  great  advantage  of  the  system  is  that 
a  pupil  may  be  placed  just  where  he  can  do  the  best 
work. 

Seventh  Year. 

The  brighter  pupils  can  accomplish  more  by  not 
waiting  for  the  slow  ones.  The  slow  pupils  are  not 
hurried  along  faster  than  they  are  able  to  go.  The 
teacher  has  time  for  individual  attention  and  the 
pupils  more  time  for  study.  If  a  child  loses  les- 
sons by  absence  he  can  be  dropped  to  the  lower 
division  and  not  be  changed  to  a  lower  room. 

There  is  always  something  for  each  one  to  try 
for.  I  have  been  able  to  give  more  individual  at- 
tention and  instruction  than  I  otherwise  could. 

It  has  been  a  direct  incentive  to  study,  and  has 
made  all  more  studious.  Many  of  those  suppos- 
edly dull  got  to  work  and  showed  they  had  been 
lazy.  It  has  created  a  natural,  rather  than  forced, 
interest  in  lessons.  It  has  enabled  me  to  get 


TESTIMONY  OF  TEACHERS.  181 

nearer  the  individual,  and  to  know  what  each  one 
was  worth. 

I  don't  have  to  hold  back  at  one  end  and  push 
and  drive  at  the  other,  as  I  used  to,  but  all  are 
working  where  they  can  do  thorough  work.  What 
could  be  better  for  teacher  and  pupil?  I  would 
never  return  to  the  old  way  voluntarily. 

Eighth  Year. 

The  brighter  pupils  can  advance  more  rapidly. 
The  slow  ones  are  not  pushed  beyond  their  ability. 
The  pupils  have  more  time  for  study  in  school 
hours.  It  is  easier  to  hold  the  attention  twenty 
minutes  than  forty.  It  secures  better  results. 

Bright  go  on  faster.  Dull  are  not  hurried. 
More  attention  to  the  individual,  and  special  needs 
discovered.  All  are  busy  on  work  they  can  do,  so 
are  not  forced  to  get  into  mischief  to  keep  busy. 
I  don't  have  to  make  slow  pupils  seem  to  be  what 
they  are  not.  Results  are  far  better  than  could 
possibly  have  been  secured  by  the  usual  plan  of 
grading. 

The  dullest  and  brightest  have  been  kept  busy. 
There  seems  to  be  no  lazy  pupils,  as  of  old.  Even, 
the  "bad  boys"  seem  to  have  left  us.  Instead  are 
found  earnest  workers,  who  know  they  will  go  to 
advanced  work  when  ready,  and  no  sooner. 

The  mind  of  each  child  can  steadily  grow  with- 
out being  forced.  Dull  pupils  are  encouraged  to 
do  their  best  work  without  being  hurried.  Each 
student  is  trained  in  concentration  of  thought  upon 
his  own  work,  to  the  exclusion  of  other  matters. 


182  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

High  School. 

Because  of  their  having  been  at  work  with 
equals,  and  where  their  ability  put  them,  they  have 
acquired  excellent  habits  of  study.  They  are  able 
to  concentrate  their  attention  to  the  work  as  other 
classes  never  could. 

Make  greater  effort.  Indolent  find  they  must 
work  or  be  left  behind,  so  they  "settle  down"  to 
work.  Am  heartily  in  favor  of  it. 

Does  away  with  the  problem,  How  shall  I  make 
my  teaching  benefit  extremes  of  class? 

Attention  secured  without  trouble,  as  both  les- 
sons and  method  of  instruction  can  be  adapted  to 
classes.  Pupils  come  to  high  school  with  greatly 
improved  mental  habits. 


Chapter  XIX* 

EDITORIAL  INDORSEMENT. 

From  several  hundred  lengthy  editorial  reviews 
by  the  leading  papers  of  many  states,  the  following 
excerpts  are  taken,  as  indicative  of  the  fact  that  the 
necessity  for  some  change  is  everywhere  apparent, 
and  is  wisely  read  by  discerning  editors.  From 
them,  those  who  have  been  slow  to  do  what  they 
knew  to  be  best,  may  learn,  that,  true  to  their  high 
calling,  editors  are  ready  to  give  their  valuable  as- 
sistance to  any  rational  plan  for  the  improvement 
of  our  grand  system  of  schools.  As  many  superin- 
tendents and  principals  are  dependent  upon  the 
sentiment  of  the  community  for  their  positions,  it 
is  of  great  importance  that  they  should  know  how 
any  contemplated  change  is  likely  to  be  received 
by  those  interested  in  the  schools.  It  is  for  this 
purpose  that  these  extracts  are  given;  but  for  this 
reason  they  would  have  been  omitted  entirely. 
Avoiding,  so  far  as  possible,  all  personal  reference, 
a  number  of  extracts  are  given  from  papers  of  the 
cities  in  which  the  plan  has  been  in  operation. 
From  these  it  may  be  learned  that,  though  all  in- 
novations are  received  with  suspicion  and  opposi- 
tion, yet  the  results  obtained  by  this  plan  have  been 


184  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

such  as  to  prevent  any  adverse  criticism,  which 
would  naturally  be  expected  from  those  wedded  to 
the  past.  Extracts  from  papers  in  all  parts  of  the 
United  States  are  given  to  show  that  the  interest  is 
widespread  and  that  the  indorsement  is  unanimous 
and  unqualified. 

Results  Amazingly  Satisfactory.  The  system 
was  introduced  by  Superintendent  Shearer  with 
amazingly  satisfactory  results.  *  *  *  The 
Pittsburg  papers  suggested  that  the  system  intro- 
duced in  New  Castle  be  adopted  by  the  Pittsburg 
schools.  The  system  will  not  admit  of  a  full  ex- 
planation here,  but  the  results  of  actual  trial  savor 
of  the  marvelous.  Other  cities  are  urging  its  adop- 
tion. *  *  *  and  it  is  probable  that  *  * 

*  the  system  will  eventually  be  adopted  all  over 
the  country. — [New  Castle  Courant. 

Has  Worked  Wonders.  This  method  has  been 
adopted  in  New  Castle  for  the  past  two  years,  and 
has  worked  wonders.  *  *  *  Superintendent 
Shearer  has  worked  hard  to  complete  his  method, 
and  not  until  he  had  given  it  a  thorough  trial  did 
he  give  anything  to  the  public  concerning  it. — 
[New  Castle  News. 

Absurd  to  Compare  With  Other  Plans.     *     * 

*  What  an  absurdity  it  is  to  compare  two  plans 
which  are  so  far  apart  in  theory  and  to  say  that  as 
time-savers  they  are  equally  efficient.     *     *     * 
In  one,  that  at  Elizabeth,  the  theory  is  to  carry  the 
pupils  up  the  ladder  step  by  step  as  fast  as  they  can 
go.     In  the  other,  all  over  a  great  city,  once  a  year 


EDITORIAL  INDORSEMENT.  185 

the  scholars  make  a  flying  leap  aloft.  If  they  fail 
they  stay  a  year  lonsrer  on  the  old  level. — [Newark 
[News. 

Pittsburg  Urged  to  Adopt  the  Plan.  The  force 
of  this  line  of  reasoning  is  incontestable.  We  hear 
much  of  the  need  of  uniformity  in  school  teaching. 
The  young  idea  must,  forsooth,  be  cultivated  by 
rule  and  square,  ignoring  individuality  and  the  dif- 
ferent type  of  taste  and  character.  *  *  * 
Take  away  these  safeguards  of  the  system  which 
fit  the  square  unit  of  humanity  into  a  round  hole, 
and  vice  versa.  '  *  *  *  It  has  taken  the  peda- 
gogic fraternity,  anywhere,  a  long  time  to  realize 
this.  *  *  The  leaven  is  working,  however, 

and  th^e  step  taken  at  New  Castle  may  be  hailed  as 
an  exemplification  of  a  tendency  that  will  ulti- 
mately extend  to  every  school  district  in  the  state. 
Pittsburg,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  will  not  be  far  behind- 
hand in  adopting  so  beneficial  and  rational  a  re- 
form.—  [Pittsburg  Leader. 

A  System  Long  Needed.  "When  Professor 
Shearer  first  explained  his  system  of  grading  public 
school  scholars,  it  was  not  quite  clear  to  the  lay 
mind  how  he  could  accomplish  the  work  of  com- 
bining the  advantages  of  the  individual  and  class 
systems,  so  that  those  who  could  study  rapidly  need 
not  be  retarded,  and  those  who  made  slow  progress 
need  not  be  pushed  beyond  their  ability.  The 
trial  has  been  made,  and  the  Cherry  street  public 
school  is  taken  as  an  example  of  the  results. 
Under  the  new  system  they  may  enter  the  high 
school  in  January,  thus  saving  nine  months  of  time. 


186  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

But  this  class  and  this  particular  school  are  not 
the  only  ones  enjoying  the  advantages  of  the  new 
system  of  grading  and  promoting.  Further  than 
this,  the  system  is  in  operation  in  all  public  schools 
here,  so  that  the  principals'  reports  show  that  not 
less  than  forty-five  per  cent  of  all  the  pupils  have 
gained  from  three  to  nine  months.  *  *  * 
The  most  popular  feature  of  the  system,  but  by  no 
means  the  most  important,  will  doubtless  be  the 
saving  of  money  to  the  taxpayers.  The  children 
will  make  more  rapid  progress,  and  as  it  costs  less 
to  teach  three  years  than  it  does  to  teach  five,  the 
money  will  go  just  so  much  further  in  carrying  on 
the  public  schools.  But  the  really  important  fea- 
ture is  the  better  instruction  given  to  the  children, 
through  closer  attention  to  the  individual  scholars. 
It  certainly  seems  that  Professor  Shearer  has 
studied  out  and  applied  the  system  which  has  long 
been  needed  to  overcome  the  almost  mechanical 
style  of  teaching,  grading,  and  promoting,  that  has 
unavoidably  become  fastened  upon  the  public 
schools  of  this  country. —  [Elizabeth  Daily  Jour- 
nal. 

Merits  Triumphantly  Demonstrated.  Professor 
Shearer's  method  of  grading,  of  which  he  has  so 
triumphantly  demonstrated  the  merits  in  our  own 
schools,  is  rapidly  becoming  adopted  all  over  the 
country,  and  the  communications  from  important 
centres  which  he  is  daily  receiving  show  how  wide 
spread  is  the  interest  in  it.  The  article  in  the  At- 
lantic Monthly,  which  first  drew  public  attention 
to  the  method,  is  an  able  piece  of  practical  exposi- 
tion.— [Elizabeth 


EDITORIAL  INDORSEMENT.  187 

Commended  to  Newark  and  Other  Cities.  To 
Newark  educational  authorities  the  result  of  the 
system  of  close  grading  pursued  in  Elizabeth 
schools  is  commended  for  investigation  and  study. 
The  great  majority  of  public  school  scholars  attend 
but  a  few  years.  If  one  system  can  help  them 
along  in  its  essential  studies  further  than  another 
can  or  does,  it  may  exert  an  influence  which  will 
not  only  save  and  improve  their  time,  but  will  as- 
sist them  their  whole  lives  long.  The  public 
school  ought  to  do  more  for  the  children  who  leave 
early.  It  ought  to  attract  and  hold  many  of  those 
who  leave,  not  because  of  necessitv.  but  because 
they  become  indifferent  and  discouraged.  If  the 
system  that  has  been  tried  in  Elizabeth  helps  the 
schools  to  meet  these  requirements,  and  if  it  en- 
ables the  scholars  to  make  more  rapid  progress  all 
along  the  line,  it  is  a  good  system,  and  one  that 
other  cities  cannot  afford  to  neglect. — [Newark 
News. 

Applicable  to  Any  System  of  Schools.  A  sys- 
tem of  school  grading  which  has  attracted  much 
attention  all  over  the  country  is  that  inaugurated 
by  Mr.  W.  J.  Shearer  while  superintendent  of  the 
schools  at  New  Castle,  Pa.  The  leading  news- 
papers from  New  England  to  California  com- 
mented upon  it  in  lengthy  reviews,  and  letters  of 
approval  were  received  from  college  presidents  and 
professors,  school  superintendents  and  teachers  of 
every  grade.  The  results  show  that  it  is  applicable 
in  any  school  system.  The  high  praise  accorded  it 
by  the  people  of  Elizabeth  and  several  of  the  lead- 


1SS  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

ing  papers  of  New  Jersey,  and  the  readiness  with 
which  the  teachers  adopt  it  have  induced  the  school 
officers  of  other  cities  to  investigate  the  plan  with  a 
view  of  introducing  it. —  [New  York  School  Jour- 
nal. 

Kesults  Silence  Adverse  Criticism.  There  is  an 
old  saying  about  the  proof  of  the  pudding,  etc., 
which  Professor  S.  can  now  quote  with  peculiar 
satisfaction,  for  the  results  are  certainly  such  as  to 
silence  adverse  criticism  and  to  prove  conclusively 
that  the  system  is  a  great  advance  over  the  old  way. 
It  is  not  a  theory,  but  a  system,  which  has  had  a 
thorough  trial,  and  its  results  are  in  the  highest 
degree  satisfactory.  *  *  *  Pupils  may  con- 
gratulate themselves  that  individual  effort  is  sure 
to  be  rewarded. — [New  Castle  Courant. 

Must  Be  Merit  in  the  Plan.  There  is  no  dis- 
counting the  effect  of  this  method.  When  the  ef- 
fort at  closer  grading  and  direct  individual  instruc- 
tion can,  in  one  year's  trial,  make  a  good  proportion 
of  the  Elizabeth  grammar  schools  gain  admission 
to  the  high  school  nine  months  ahead  of  schedule 
time,  there  must  be  merit  in  it. — [Newark  News. 

Dr.  Harris,  U.  S.  Commissioner  of  Education, 
Favored  a  Similar  Plan.  Attention  is  called  to 
the  fact  that  Commissioner  Harris,  twenty  years 
ago,  when  he  was  superintendent  of  the  St.  Louis 
schools,  advocated  something  very  similar.  We 
have  carefully  read  these  recommendations  of  Dr. 
Harris,  but  we  fail  to  find  that  he  offered  any  spe- 
cific method  of  carrying  out  his  ideas,  or  that  he 
cites  any  practical  schoolroom  experiments,  show- 


EDITORIAL  INDORSEMENT.  189 

ing  that  they  had  been  carried  out.  There  were  a 
number  of  philosophers  and  geographers  before 
Columbus's  time  who  had  announced  their  belief 
in  the  world's  sphericity;  but  this  fact  detracts 
nothing  from  the  credit  due  Columbus  for  carrying 
the  idea  to  a  successful  demonstration.  If  Super- 
intendent Shearer  has  devised  and  put  into  opera- 
tion a  generally  workable  plan  for  avoiding  the 
evils  of  the  present  chain-gang  system  of  grada- 
tion and  promotion,  he  has  fairly  earned  the  hearty 
plaudits,  not  alone  of  his  fellow  teachers,  but  of  the 
general  public  as  well. —  [Learning  By  Doing. 

Adopted  Unanimously.  At  a  meeting  of  the 
school-board  and  teachers,  it  was  unanimously  de- 
cided to  invite  Superintendent  Shearer  to  visit 
Smyrna  at  his  earliest  convenience  for  the  purpose 
of  introducing  his  new  system  of  grading  in  the 
public  schools  here.  In  introducing  this  system  of 
grading  the  school  authorities  are  not  trying  an  ex- 
periment, but  are  merely  adopting  a  feasible  plan 
that  has  met  with  general  approval  in  the  many 
towns  and  cities  where  it  has  been  put  into  use. — 
[Smyrna  Call. 

Should  Be  Indorsed  and  Introduced  Throughout 
the  Country.  If  Professor  Shearer  has  sufficient 
courage  and  individual  independence  to  break 
away  from  the  long  established  methods  of  the 
faulty  graded  school  system,  and  devise  a  plan  and 
carry  it  into  execution,  too,  it  should  not  only  be 
commended  but  indorsed  and  introduced  in  the 
graded  schools  throughout  the  country. — [Winona 
Herald. 


190  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

Wanted  in  Saiidusky.  His  plan  is  an  excellent 
one.  "We  suggest  that  the  board  of  education  com- 
municate with  Mr.  Shearer  with  a  view  of  intro- 
ducing this  rational  system  of  grading  into  the  pub- 
lic schools  of  Saiidusky.  Then  we  may  have  more 
boys  and  girls  graduating  from  the  High  School 
than  we  have  now,  and  that  particular  grade  be  of 
some  use  and  pay  for  the  expense  it  entails  on  our 
people. —  [Sandusky  Register. 

Every  Superintendent  Should  Investigate.  Ad- 
mit these  facts  and  it  would  seem  the  part  of  wis 
dom  for  every  superintendent  of  a  public  school  to 
investigate  this  method.  It  ought  to  work  a  revo- 
lution in  public  school  systems. — [Augusta  Chron- 
icle. 

First  Well-Digested  Plan  Suitable  to  Any 
School.  The  truest  patriots  are  those  who  seek  to 
develop  the  best  that  is  in  the  people  of  the  coun 
try.  Mr.  Shearer  is  the  first  person  in  authority  to 
my  knowledge  to  express  what  I  have  long  felt, 
and  who  has  put  his  views  into  a  well-digested  plan, 
which  can  be  worked  out  in  every  school.  I  am 
certain  that  it  or  a  similar  plan  will  be  adopted,  for 
it  is,  as  he  says,  "a  rational  system  of  grading." — 
[Brooklyn  Eagle. 

Pupils  and  Teachers  Sacrificed  on  the  Altar  of 
System.  It  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  in  the 
larger  cities  both  pupils  and  teachers  have  been 
largely  sacrificed  on  the  altar  of  system  and  red 
tape  routine. — [Grand  Rapids  Democrat. 

Watched  by  Every  Educator  in  the  United 
States  Who  Is  Doing  Earnest  Work.  Each  child 


EDITORIAL  INDORSEMENT.  191 

lias  an  individuality,  and  it  is  this  individuality  that 
is  the  most  precious  thing  in  the  child,  yet  we  seek 
to  destroy  it  by  our  system  of  grading  public 
schools.  Our  system  does  not  care  for  the  individ- 
uality. W.  J.  Shearer  has  introduced  a  plan 
which  is  working  successfully,  and  which  is  being 
watched  with  extreme  interest  by  every  educator  in 
the  United  States  who  is  doing  earnest  work.  Our 
educators  in  the  Sacramento  county  should  study 
the  Shearer  plan,  and  it  should  be  applied  to  our 
schools,  if  found  to  be  what  it  is  claimed.  If  not, 
some  other  plan  of  grading  should  be  discovered, 
for  the  present  system  is  an  abomination. — [San 
Francisco  Bee. 

~No  Educator  Will  Dispute  the  Principle.  We 
do  not  suppose  that  any  educator  will  seriously  dis- 
pute that  this  is  the  correct  principle  in  education. 
The  system  of  education  by  regiments  is  not  educa- 
tion at  all.  Children  are  more  apt  to  suffer  from 
enforced  idleness  than  from  overwork.  There  is 
certainly  no  doubt  that  as  schools  are  graded  in  this 
city  and  other  large  cities,  too  many  minds  are  set 
to  keep  the  same  time.  Like  clocks  in  a  jewelry 
shop  they  soon  cease  to  run  in  unison  and  a  dismal 
clangor  takes  the  place  of  harmony. — [Minne- 
apolis Times. 

The  Present  System  of  Grading  All  Wrong. 
We  do  not  advocate  overwork  in  the  school  room. 
But  we  do  say  that  the  present  system  of  gradation 
Is  all  wrong.  Children  are  no  more  alike  than  the 
patients  that  are  treated  at  a  hospital,  and  the  soon- 
er our  school  system  gets  down  to  a  more  liberal 


192  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

and  a  more  sensible  classification  and  gradation  the 
better  it  will  be  for  all. — [Sacramento  Bee. 

The  Effect  of  the  Usual  System  Disastrous. 
Between  the  freedom  of  the  country  school  and  the 
stiffness  of  the  city  grades,  there  must  be  a  middle 
ground,  capable  of  adaptation  to  the  city  schools. 
This  Mr.  Shearer  thinks  he  has  found,  and  its  trial 
in  the  schools  of  his  and  other  cities  adopting  his 
suggestions  confirms  him.  It  should  be  the  work 
of  school  board,  of  the  superintendent  and  princi- 
pals and  teachers  to  give  to  the  plan  a  careful  ex- 
amination during  the  coming  vacation  with  the  ob- 
ject of  determining  whether  our  schools  cannot  be 
made  more  effective  by  its  adoption  here.  Ulti- 
mately the  effect  of  the  usual. system  cannot  fail  to 
be  disastrous. — [St.  Paul  Globe. 

Principals  and  Teachers  Enthusiastic.  Super- 
intendent Shearer  met  with  the  principals  and 
teachers  of  our  public  schools  and  outlined  a  plan 
of  changing  from  the  present  method  of  grading. 
The  new  system  was  put  into  operation  yesterday 
and  it  promises  to  revolutionize  our  schools  and  put 
them  at  the  head  of  all  others  in  the  state  of  Dela- 
ware. Principals  and  teachers  are  enthusiastic 
over  the  work. — [Smyrna  Times. 

A  Remedy  for  Defects.  There  can  be  no  ques- 
tion that  every  step  toward  individualism  is  a  step 
toward  a  desired  end.  Mr.  Shearer's  system  has 
attracted  to  it  the  attention  of  educators,  and  is 
worthy  of  thoughtful  consideration  as  a  remedy  for 
defects  which  are  admitted  to  exist. — [Keokuk 
(la.)  Gate-City. 


EDITORIAL  INDORSEMENT.  193 

Needed  to  Get  the  Best  Results.  To  correct  the 
evils  complained  of,  Professor  W.  J.  Shearer,  Su- 
perintendent of  schools  in  Elizabeth,  N.  J.,  has 
formulated  and  put  into  operation  a  system  to 
which  the  attention  of  the  friends  of  education  all 
over  the  country  cannot  too  quickly  be  directed  and 
acted  upon,  if  we  are  to  obtain  from  our  schools  the 
best  possible  results. — [Ilaverhill  Daily. 

Adopted  in  Dayton.  The  new  plan  of  grading 
pupils,  adopted  in  the  public  schools,  is  not  original 
here.  It  is  the  same  plan  which  is  being  used  in 
other  cities,  and  for  which  we  have  to  thank  the 
superintendent  of  the  public  schools  of  Elizabeth, 
N.  J.— [Dayton  (O.)  News. 

Leading  Cities  About  to  Adopt.  Nothing  in 
the  nature  of  educational  ways  and  means  that  has 
appeared  in  a  decade  has  made  so  much  impression 
on  the  public  mind  as  the  reform  in  gradation  and 
promotion  that  has  been  carried  out  by  Superin- 
tendent Shearer.  This  article  has  caught  the  pub- 
lic ear  through  the  general  press,  which  has  widely 
and  favorably  commented  upon  the  remedy  that 
Mr.  Shearer  offers  for  the  prevalent  chain-gangism 
of  our  graded  schools.  Already  a  number  of  our 
leading  cities  have  made  arrangements  for  putting 
the  Shearer  method  in  operation.  In  another  col- 
umn we  give  a  brief  synopsis  of  this  method,  which 
bids  fair  to  win  the  favor  of  the  people  as  well  as 
of  progressive  teachers. — [Learning  By  Doing. 

Mossy  Conservatism  Should  Not  Prevent  Its 
Adoption.  The  grading  system  which  prevails  in 
nearly  all  the  public  and  many  of  the  private 


194  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

schools  of  this  country  is  a  source  of  considerable 
embarrassment  and  worry  to  parents  and  children, 
and,  we  doubt  not,  to  teachers.  Within  the  yearly 
limits,  at  least,  the  brightest  pupils  must  regulate 
their  progress  by  the  possibilities  of  the  dullest. 
The  dullest  work  under  conditions  of  great  discour- 
agement, because  of  the  strain  of  the  pace  set  by  the 
brightest.  ""  "x"  *  Here  are  results  which 
ought  to  set  educators  thinking.  Elizabeth  is  a 
comparatively  small  city,  but  if  she  employs  a  plan 
every  way  more  effective  and  economical  than  the 
prevailing  method,  pride,  or  prejudice,  or  mossy 
conservatism  should  not  stand  in  the  way  of  its 
adoption. —  [Boston  Transcript. 

California  Approves.  The  subject  is  one  of 
such  high  interest  that  analysis  of  the  new  scheme 
must  be  reserved  for  distinct  treatment.  It  is, 
however,  timely  to  say  that  we  have  information 
that  some  of  the  leading  educators  of  this  state 
warmly  espouse  the  new  idea,  and  in  official  educa- 
tional quarters  it  has  strong  friends.  *  * 
To  this  time  the  new  method  has  been  successful 
even  beyond  expectation.  *  *  *  Documen- 
tary evidence  before  us  presents  the  testimony  of 
teachers  and  school  officials,  that  under  the  trial  it 
is  completely  successful.  As  successful  results  al- 
ways silence  criticism  these  witnesses  must  be 
said  to  have  closed  the  case  against  the 
present  system  and  of  approval  of  the  new. 
Pennsylvania  and  Illinois  propose  to  give  the  plan 
a  trial,  and  Boston,  slow  always  to  leave  her  own 
paths,  is  seriously  considering  the  New  Jersey  idea, 


EDITORIAL  INDORSEMENT.  195 

while  I^ew  York  educational  journals  are  urging 
its  consideration  by  the  educational  authorities  of 
the  Empire  State. — [Sacramento  Kecord-Union. 

People  Should  Demand  Reforms.  It  is  appar- 
ent to  laymen  that  the  greatest  educators  of  the 
country  differ  as  to  the  merits  of  the  present  school 
system.  *  *  *  Superintendent  Shearer  com- 
bats the  system  in  a  way  to  interest  the  people  and 
to  prompt  them  to  demend  reforms;  and  it  would 
be  well  for  the  public  schools  and  the  pupils  if  all 
educators  received  such  criticism  kindly  and 
worked  together  to  improve  the  public  school  sys- 
tem, instead  of  getting  into  caustic  disputes  with 
one  another  about  it. —  [Norwich  (Conn.)  Bulletin. 

The  Usual  Way  Unworthy  of  an  Enlightened 
Age.  The  unjust  and  impracticable  rule  that  all 
must  go  over  a  certain  amount  of  space,  measured 
by  text  books,  in  a  certain  time,  and  all  do  the  same 
amount  of  work,  in  the  same  way,  regardless  of  in- 
dividual ability,  individual  opportunity  or  any 
other  attendant  circumstances,  is  unworthy  of  an 
enlightened  age  in  the  management  of  a  school  cur- 
riculum, and  Superintendent  Shearer  has  not 
shown  it  up  one  hour  too  soon. — [Bridgeport 
(Conn.)  Standard. 

Thoughtful  Educators  Interested.  For  some 
years  Professor  Shearer  has  devoted  much  time  and 
study  to  a  special  and  personal  system  for  grading 
students  in  the  public  schools.  *  *  *  It  is 
scarcely  necessary  to  say  that  the  success  of  the 
Shearer  system  has  attracted  the  attention  of  all 
thoughtful  educators. — [Trenton  Evening  Timr- 


196  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

The  Teacher  Becomes  an  Educator  in  the  True 
Sense.  Under  such  a  system  as  Mr.  Shearer  has 
established  a  teacher  becomes  an  educator  in  the 
true  sense  of  the  term,  and  the  mind  of  a  pupil  is 
not  looked  upon  as  a  knowledge  box,  with  carefully 
arranged  and  plainly  labeled  compartments,  from 
which  the  teacher  at  the  end  of  the  school  term  is 
to  bring  forth  the  article  needed  to  insure  promo- 
tion.—  [Philadelphia  Inquirer. 

Every  Parent  and  Every  Teacher  Interested. 
Every  parent  and  every  teacher  is  interested  in  the 
grading  of  pupils  in  the  schools,  and  all  are  anxious 
to  advocate  the  method  which  will  result  in  the 
greatest  good  to  the  greatest  number  of  scholars, 
x-  *  *  Arbitrary  grading  is  the  practice  nearly 
everywhere.  *  *  *  He  has  put  into  practice 
a  system  of  his  own  which  is  operating  with  satis- 
faction to  both  instructors  and  pupils. — [Wilkes- 
barre  Record. 

An  Excellent  Plan.  W.  J.  Shearer  points  out 
the  defects  of  the  graded  system,  which  usually  does 
not  provide  for  the  individual  differences,  but 
keeps  the  pupils  in  an  intellectual  lock-step.  He 
sets  forth  an  excellent  plan  for  advancing  pupils 
who  are  in  advance  of  the  grade  they  are  in,  which 
has  worked  admirable  results. —  [Minneapolis  Jour- 
nal. 

Sure  to  Be  Adopted  by  Progressive  Schools. 
What  Commissioner  Harris  advocated  is  in  line 
with  the  best  thought  on  school  management  and 
is  coming  to  be  more  advocated.  The  same  sub- 


EDITORIAL  INDORSEMENT.  197 

ject  was  treated  exhaustively,  *  *  *  and  it 
was  shown  how  the  plan  now  advocated  by  Dr. 
Harris  can  be  made  to  work  successfully.  It  is  al- 
most sure  to  be  adopted  by  the  schools  of  the  coun- 
try, especially  those  that  are  progressive  and  seek- 
ing to  improve  all  the  time.  *  *  *  In  the 
past  there  has  been  too  much  of  the  theory  and 
practice  that  the  pupil  should  be  made  to  fit  the 
school  system  rather  than  the  system  fit  the  pupil. 
—[Salt  Lake  City  Herald. 

Calculated  to  Make  Men  and  Women,  Not  Ma- 
chines. Mr.  Shearer  has  made  one  of  the  most 
sensible  and  independent  criticisms  ever  penned  on 
our  public  schools.  *  *  *  The  theory  is — 
and  tlie  practice  follows  the  theory — that  the  disci- 
pline which  converts  each  pupil  into  a  separate  cog, 
bar  or  rivet,  in  one  great  machine,  is  the  finest 
thing  in  life.  *  *  *  The  effort  to  reach  the 
standard  breaks  down  more  women  than  statisti- 
cians ever  count.  *  *  *  "Whatever  advantage 
is  gained  from  numbers  is  retained.  *  *  * 
In  short,  the  methods  outlined  by  Mr.  Shearer  are 
calculated  to  make  men  and  women,  and  not  ma- 
chines; and  as  Providence  probably  intended  chil- 
dren to  become  men  and  women,  and  to  think  for 
themselves,  he  may  be  considered  as  assisting  Provi- 
dence, which  is  more  than  can  be  said  for  some 
other  educational  leaders. — [Washington  (D.  0.) 
Times. 

Denver  Likes  the  Plan.  Experiments  in  second- 
ary education  are  no  longer  the  exclusive  property 
of  rock-bound  Massachusetts,  and  something  new, 


198  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

which,  will  doubtless  be  much  discussed  in  the  edu- 
cational world,  is  announced  from  Elizabeth,  !N". 
J.  There  a  system  of  grading  has  been  in  effect 
in  the  public  schools,  the  practical  results  of  which 
seem  to  justify  its  continuance,  for  not  less  than 
forty-five  per  cent  of  the  pupils  have  gained  three 
to  nine  months,  to  say  nothing  of  the  individual 
development  gained  by  the  degree  of  attention  the 
teacher  is  enabled  to  give  personally  under  the  new 
system.  *  *  *  So  far,  very  good.  It  is 
hoped  that  more  will  be  heard  from  this  something 
which  is  capable  of  accomplishing  so  much  that  is 
desirable  in  the  educational  work. —  [Denver  Post. 

Even  Cultured  Boston  May  Learn.  The  new 
system  of  grading  in  public  schools,  which  Superin- 
tendent Shearer  of  Elizabeth,  N.  J.,  has  carried 
into  practical  effect,  seems  to  be  justified  by  its 
practical  results.  Promotion  comes  with  merit  at 
frequent  intervals  in  the  school  year.  It  is  not  se- 
cured or  lost  at  one  or  two  nerve-exhausting  exam- 
ination tests.  *  *  *  "Who  will  say  that  the 
educational  magnates  of  cities  far  larger  than  Eliz- 
abeth, N.  J.,  may  not  find  something  to  learn  from 
Shearerism  in  practice?  Who  will  deny  that  even 
cultured  Boston  may  profit  by  the  object  lesson 
Superintendent  Shearer  has  been  giving  in  the 
science  of  practical  education  in  our  public  schools? 
— [Boston  Globe. 

Will  Be  "Widely  Introduced.  Many  superin- 
tendents have  made  a  study  of  the  pedagogic  ad- 
vantages of  the  system  and  the  splendid  results 
achieved  in  Elizabeth,  and  the  indications  are  that 


EDITORIAL  INDORSEMENT.  193 

it  will  be  widely  introduced  at  the  beginning  of  the 
next  school  year.  *  *  *  — [is~ew  York 
School  Journal. 

Ilfeed  of  a  Change  Felt  in  Washington,  D.  C. 
Excellent  as  the  public  schools  *  *  *  un- 
doubtedly are,  they  have  not  yet  reached  a  point 
from  which  no  chance  for  progress  is  discernable. 
*  *  In  the  important  matter  of  examina- 
tions and  promotions  the  schools  of  nearly  all  the 
cities  and  towns,  including  those  of  the  District  of 
Columbia,  are  believed  to  be  open  to  just  criticism. 
*  This  species  of  senseless  injustice 
still  exists.  Some  of  the  brightest  pupils 
have  records  of  stupidity  where  they  should 
have  -high  rating.  *  *  *  We  commend 
Professor  Shearer's  statement  to  the  careful 
consideration  of  those  who  have  charge  of  the 
splendidly  successful  school  system  that  has  come 
to  be  an  honor  to  this  District. — [Washington 
Post. 

Hopes  It  Will  Be  Followed  Elsewhere.  Super- 
intendent Shearer,  with  a  radicalism  which  is  very 
rare  in  his  profession,  has  boldly  declared  against 
the  evils  of  the  graded  system,  and  has  been  labor- 
ing to  correct  them.  *  *  *  For  the  great  pro- 
portion of  them  it  means  the  saving  of  three  years 
time  in  the  full  course,  and  this  means,  of  course, 
a  corresponding  saving  to  those  who  support  the 
schools.  *  *  *  The  fact  that  the  movement 
originates  from  the  inside,  and  has  proven  a  success 
encourages  the  hope  that  it  may  be  followed  else- 
where.— [Detroit  Free  Press. 


200  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

Correct  in  Condemning  the  Usual  Method.  A 
rigid  system  of  promotions  *  *  *  is  respon- 
sible for  many  failures.  *  *  *  If  Mr. 
Shearer  is  correct  in  his  deductions,  he  has  cer- 
tainly done  an  important  service  for  the  community 
in  which  he  labors.  He  is  certainly  correct  in  con- 
demning the  unsatisfactory  system  at  present  in 
vogue. —  [Providence  Journal. 

It  Is  Certain  to  Be  Welcomed  by  the  People. 
There  is  encouragement  in  the  fact  that,  despite 
the  inertia  of  conservatism,  a  noteworthy  degree  of 
success  has  attended  the  efforts  of  Superintendent 
Shearer  these  ten  years  and  more,  to  promote  and 
establish  a  more  rational  system.  *  *  *  A 
plan  which  has  been  adopted,  we  are  glad  to  know, 
in  not  a  few  cities  and  towns.  It  will  not  do  for 
men  immovably  set  in  their  ways  to  style  the 
Shearer  Plan  impracticable  in  large  cities.  What- 
ever makes  for  rational  methods  in  education,  what- 
ever tends  to  break  down  the  "lock-step  grading" 
is  certain  to  be  welcomed  by  the  people. 
Mr.  Shearer's  plans  have  successfully  endured  the 
test  of  practice  in  Elizabeth  and  elsewhere  for 
years.  They  may  well  be  given  a  free  and  fair 
trial  wherever  the  "Procrustes  bed"  system  of  grad- 
ing and  promotion  prevails  to  the  great  detriment 
of  real  education. — [Boston  Globe. 

Eadically  the  Best  System.     Believing  in  this 
system  as  radically  the  best     *     *     *     the  Truth 
gave  an  account  of  its  workings  as  a  suggestion  for 
improvement   in    the  Scranton  public  schools. 
*     *     It  will  be  a  great  advance  for  the  Scranton 


EDITORIAL  INDORSEMENT.  201 

schools  when  this  system  shall  be  introduced  here. 
—  [Scranton  Truth. 

Based  on  Sound  Educational  Principles.  Pro- 
fessor Shearer  *  *  *  is  to  be  credited  with 
the  inauguration  of  a  system  of  promotion  which 
not  only  does  away  with  the  terrors  of  examination 
day,  but  by  the  establishment  of  more  classes  and 
easier  gradations  allows  the  punils  to  advance  as 
rapidly  as  their  individual  endowments  will  permit. 
*  *  *  The  system  has  been  long  enough  in  use 
to  indicate  that  it  is  based  on  sound  educational 
principles  *  *  *  and  its  merits  have  evident- 
ly won  such  favorable  recognition  that  it  may  ulti- 
mately become  a  part  of  the  school  system  of  the 
state.— [Philadelphia  Record. 

Common  Sense  Methods.  These  results  merit 
attention.  The  system  seems  in  effect  a  reversion 
in  part  to  the  ungraded  school,  but  it  is  none  the 
worse  for  recognizing  the  value  of  common  sense 
methods. — [Baltimore  Sun. 

A  Distinct  Service  to  Education.  Superintend- 
ent William  J.  Shearer  of  Elizabeth,  1ST.  J.,  has 
performed  a  distinct  service  to  education  by  making 
a  vigorous  assault  on  the  prevalent  illogical,  stupid 
and  unsatisfactory  system  of  gradation  and  promo- 
tion in  our  graded  schools.  Unlike  many  reform- 
ers, Superintendent  Shearer  has  not  opened  fire 
until  his  batteries  were  well  supplied  with  ammu- 
nition; neither  has  he  undertaken  the  demolish- 
ment  of  existing  structures  without  having  abun- 
dant materials  at  hand  for  rebuilding. — [Learning 
By  Doing. 


202  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

]^o  Reason  Why  Other  Cities  Cannot  Have  Its 
Advantages.  At  this  season  of  the  year  *  *  * 
it  seems  pertinent  to  call  attention  to  the  rational 
system  of  grading  which  has  been  urged  for  over 
ten  years  by  Professor  AV.  J.  Shearer,  superin- 
tendent of  schools  at  Elizabeth,  N.  J.,  and  which 
has  been  in  practical  and  successful  operation  in 
that  city.  *  *  *  It  is  no  mere  theory,  but  a 
carefully  planned  system,  the  claims  for  which  are 
based  upon  the  excellent  results  which  have  fol- 
lowed wherever  it  has  been  adopted.  If  properly 
started,  there  should  be  no  reason  why  equally  good 
results  cannot  be  secured  for  other  towns  and  cities. 
*  *  *  It  is  approved  by  principals,  teachers 
and  parents,  and  there  has  been  a  distinct  financial 
saving.  If  it  works  so  well  elsewhere,  why  would 
it  not  work  well  in  the  city  of  Boston? — [Boston 
Transcript. 


Chapter  XX. 


PIOWANY  GRADED  SCHOOL  MAY  EASILY 

ADOPT  A  PLIANT  PLAN  OF 

GPtADING. 

At  last  the  large  majority  of  educators  agree  that 
the  providing  of  a  more  rational  plan  of  grading  is 
the  most  pressing  demand  now  made  of  them.  In- 
deed,, many  claim  that  for  years  they  have  felt 
keenly  the  need  of  a  more  pliant  method,  but  have 
done  nothing  to  provide  such,  for  the  reason  that 
no  one  has  been  willing  to  lead  the  way,  though 
several  have  indicated  the  direction  in  which  others 
should  go.  It  is  earnestly  hoped  that  those  truly 
interested  in  the  problem  of  providing  a  more  satis- 
factory method  of  grading  will  find  some  assistance 
in  the  following  suggestions,  drawn  from  years  of 
experience. 

Study  carefully  and  persistently  the  whole  prob- 
lem of  school  grading.  Endeavor  to  gain  a  clear 
understanding  of  the  principles  underlying  a 
proper  plan  of  classification,  following  not  the 
thoughts  of  one,  but  making  an  effort  to  grasp  all 
the  ideas  bearing  upon  the  subject.  After  having 


204  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

carefully  studied  and  weighed  the  arguments  in 
favor  and  against  each  plan  and  device,  decide 
which  can  be  used  to  best  advantage  in  the  schools 
under  you. 

See  clearly  the  serious  defects  of  the  usual 
method  and  plan  to  remedy  them,  taking  great  care 
not  to  go  to  the  opposite  extreme.  The  defects  are 
grievous;  but  rushing  blindly  to  the  opposite  ex- 
treme will  not  be  very  beneficial  to  the  pupils  and 
may  be  disastrous  to  the  person  advocating  the 
radical  change. 

Give  special  consideration  to  the  local  conditions 
by  which  you  are  surrounded.  "While  the  princi- 
ples are  the  same,  the  methods  of  reaching  the  ends 
are  greatly  influenced  by  local  conditions.  You 
may  be  able  to  reach  the  desired  end  far  more  easily 
than  others;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  it  may  happen 
that  what  is  easy  to  secure  under  other  conditions 
may  be  very  hard  for  you  to  gain  because  of  your 
peculiar  environments. 

An  important  requisite  is  that  you  see  clearly  the 
end  which  you  wish  to  reach,  and  then  carefully 
adopt  the  best  means  of  reaching  that  end.  There- 
fore, until  you  know  exactly  what  you  wish  to  do, 
do  not  start.  In  school  organization  as  well  as  in 
every  other  part  of  school  work,  as  in  life,  nearly 
all  failures  are  the  result  of  not  seeing  clearly  the 
end  to  be  reached. 


ADOPTION  OF  A  PLIANT  PLAN.  205 

Have  good  reasons  for  every  change  suggested. 
You  should  not  advocate  any  change  unless  you 
have  strong  arguments  in  favor  of  such  changes. 
You  have  no  right  to  expect  others  to  accept  your 
conclusions,  unless  you  have  the  best  of  reasons  for 
your  conviction. 

"Make  haste  slowly"  applies  with  great  force 
here;  the  usual  plan  has  been  in  use  for  many  years, 
and  it  is  better  to  bear  with  it  a  little  longer  than  to 
put  in  jeopardy  the  success  of  the  effort  to  improve 
upon  it.  After  having  been  in  the  rut  for  many 
years  it  is  unreasonable  to  expect  principals  and 
teachers  to  get  out  of  their  accustomed  grooves  sud- 
denly. It  is  well  to  take  one  step  at  a  time,  give 
good  reasons  therefor,  and  wait  for  the  more  in- 
telligent and  thoughtful  teachers  to  discover  the 
benefits  of  the  change.  Plan  for  a  gradual  evolu- 
tion rather  than  a  sudden  revolution.  It  will  be 
found  that  a  large  majority  of  the  principals  and 
teachers  are  deeply  interested  in  doing  what  is  for 
the  best ;  and  when  shown  clearly  what  steps  should 
be  taken  they  are  quick  to  respond. 

Consider  well  the  attempts  which  others  have 
made  to  remedy  the  defective  grading,  and  learn 
from  their  failures  and  successes.  The  principals 
and  teachers  who  do  not  learn  from  the  failures  of 
others  will  have  much  to  learn  from  their  own  fail- 
ures. It  is  a  wise  teacher  who  learns  from  the  mis- 


20fi  THE  GllADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

takes  of  others;  and  a  very  foolish  one  who  insists 
upon  learning  nothing  save  at  the  dear  school  which 
experience  keeps. 

Plan  carefully  for  the  accurate  classification  of 
pupils,  so  that  those  who  can  do  the  same  work  may 
be  placed  together  in  classes.  Grade  as  accurately 
as  possible ;  for  the  weakness  of  the  graded  school  is 
not  in  its  being  graded,  but  in  its  not  being  suffi- 
ciently well  graded.  The  only  way  to  eradicate 
the  evils  of  defective  grading  is  to  grade  more  ac- 
curately. A  basic  condition  of  any  proper  method 
of  grading  is  the  accurate  classification  of  pupils 

After  having  pupils  accurately  graded,  it  is  ab- 
solutely necessary  to  keep  them  with  those  of  about 
equal  ability  and  attainments;  therefore  the  great 
importance  of  reclassification,  which  is  the  only 
means  of  reaching  this  much  desired  end.  Pupils 
may  be  accurately  classified  at  the  beginning  of  the 
month,  arid  yet  before  the  middle  of  the  month  the 
need  of  reclassification  may  become  very  apparent. 
Accurate  classification  is  a  necessary  first  step,  the 
importance  of  which  superintendents  and  principals 
have  realized,  and  for  which  many  have  made  pro- 
vision. It  is  greatly  to  be  regretted  that  so  many 
have  been  willing  to  stop  there,  for  it  will  be  of 
little  benefit  if  provision  is  not  made  for  reclassifi- 
cation. 

Have  a  short  class  interval.    The  course  of  study 


ADOPTION  OF  A  PLIANT  PLAN.  207 

may  be  divided  into  but  a  few  sections,  but  the 
different  classes  of  pupils  should  be  but  a  short  dis- 
tance apart.  They  should  all  move  steadily  for- 
ward, but  at  different  rates,  and  the  work  should 
be  so  arranged  that  pupils  can  easily  pass  from  one 
division  to  the  next. 

As  a  factor  in  determining  classification  and  re- 
classification,  nothing  is  more  important  than  the 
basis,  frequency  and  time  of  promotion;  therefore, 
in  studying  this  subject  the  basis  of  promotion 
must  be  considered  carefully.  The  basis  of  pro- 
motion must  not  be  the  examination.  Be  assured 
of  this.  If  the  reasons  already  presented  are  not 
sufficient  proof  of  this  statement,  look  for  others. 
Many  educators  have  tried  to  reach  the  desired 
end  without  totally  abandoning  this  bulwark  of 
uniformity,  which  makes  reclassification  almost  im- 
possible at  other  than  the  regular  promotion  times. 
They  have  failed  utterly.  From  their  failures 
learn  the  importance  of  striking  at  the  root  of  the 
evil.  It  will  not  be  sufficient  to  promote  only  at 
regular  intervals.  Suitable  provision  must  be 
made  for  reclassification  at  any  time  when  the  in- 
terests of  the  pupils  demand  it.  However,  there 
should  be  regular  promotions  one  or  more  times 
oeach  year,  when  all  should  move  forward.  Experi- 
ence proves  that  it  is  best  to  have  general  promo- 


208  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

tions  but  once  each  year,  with  suitable  provision 
for  reclassification. 

Everyone  knows  that  children  differ  in  ability, 
and  therefore  such  provision  should  be  made  as 
will  enable  pupils  to  cover  the  course  as  fast  as  they 
are  able,  and  no  faster;  there  need  be  no  fear  that 
this  will  lead  to  disorganization.  As  has  been 
pointed  out,  it  is  necessary  to  have  a  course  of 
study,  but  it  is  not  necessary  that  all  should  finish 
it  in  the  same  time.  Therefore  a  definite  part  of 
the  work  should  not  be  required  in  a  given  time. 

From  a  careful  study  of  the  preceding  chapters 
some  suggestions  may  be  drawn.  Get  all  the  good 
you  can  by  a  careful  consideration  of  those  chap- 
ters suggesting  methods  of  reaching  the  desired 
ends.  They  will  likely  be  of  greater  benefit  than 
any  others;  for  they  will  show  how  this  plan,  or  a 
similar  one,  can  be  put  in  operation  in  such  a  way 
as  to  enlist  the  liveliest  interest  of  all.  Gather  all 
the  information  you  can  elsewhere.  Then  study 
the  problem  for  yourself,  adapting  and  adopting 
those  devices  which  you  believe  to  be  most  likely  to 
meet  your  conditions. 

Years  of  experience  prove  that  the  principal  or 
teacher  who  follows  the  suggestions  given  above 
will  have  no  trouble  in  gradually  working  out  a  far 
more  satisfactory  plan  than  at  first  seemed  possible. 


Chapter  XXI. 


THE    GRADING    OF    THE    UNGRADED 
SCHOOL. 

THERE  SHOULD  BE  A  COURSE  OF  STUDY. 
Though  space  does  not  permit  more  than  a  very 
brief  ^consideration  of  the  subject,  some  attention 
must  be  given  to  the  grading  of  the  ungraded 
school;  for,  since  the  schools  of  all  the  towns  and 
cities  have  been  graded,  many  continue  to  urge  the 
importance  of  grading  the  rural  schools  in  the  same 
way.  So  far  as  having  a  graded  course  of  study  is 
concerned,  this  is  an  important  step  in  the  right  di- 
rection, for  every  school  should  have  a  course  of 
study,  and  pupils  should  take  up  the  different 
branches  in  that  order  which  experience  has  proved 
to  be  the  best.  Some  urge  the  importance  of  hav- 
ing the  course  of  study  for  the  rural  schools  very 
much  different  from  that  mapped  out  for  the 
graded  school;  but  it  is  now  generally  agreed  that 
the  courses  for  these  schools  should  be  practically 
the  same.  They  must  differ  in  minor  details,  how- 


210  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

ever,  the  course  for  the  rural  schools  being  made 
flexible,  so  that,  if  possible,  the  number  of  classes 
may  be  reduced — when  this  can  be  done  without 
injury  to  the  pupils. 

The  authorities  of  several  states  and  many  earn- 
est county  superintendents  have  gone  farther,  and 
have  insisted  upon  having  the  district  school  graded 
in  the  same  manner  as  the  city  school.  It  is 
claimed  by  these  that,  since  the  close  classification 
in  the  city  schools  possesses  so  many  marked  advan- 
tages, therefore  like  benefits  would  follow  the 
grading  of  the  rural  schools.  That  this  would  be 
the  case,  if  the  conditions  were  the  same,  most  will 
acknowledge.  However,  the  conditions  are  not 
the  same,  and  many  now  see  that  there  are  serious 
objections  to  forcing  upon  the  rural  schools 
methods  which,  because  of  the  different  conditions, 
are  impracticable. 

THE  RURAL  SCHOOL  NOT  UNGRADED. 

All  through  the  preceding  chapters  the  term  the 
"ungraded  school"  has  been  used  in  its  generally 
accepted  meaning  to  designate  the  rural  school. 
However,  in  the  consideration  of  this  problem,  it 
should  not  be  forgotten  that  the  schools  which  are 
supposed  to  be  ungraded  are,  in  reality,  schools 
composed  of  many  grades  of  pupils;  while  the  so- 
called  graded  schools  are  supposed  to  have  but  one 


THE  GRADING  OF  THE  UNGRADED  SCHOOL.    211 

grade  of  pupils.  The  rural  school,  of  necessity, 
has  always  been  a  many-graded  school,  with  many 
classes,  and  not  an  ungraded  school  in  any  sense  of 
the  word;  so  that  the  grading  of  the  rural  school  is 
no  new  idea.  It  has  always  been  graded,  though 
not  in  the  same  manner,  nor  to  the  same  degree,  as 
the  one-graded  school. 

GOOD  WORK  DONE  IN  THE  RURAL  SCHOOLS. 

Many  of  those  who  argue  so  strongly  for  the 
grading  of  the  rural  school  labor  under  the  impres- 
sion that  good  work  cannot  be  done  in  these  schools. 
But  -good  work  has  been  done  and  is  now  being 
done  in  very  many  of  these  schools.  It  is  true 
that,  because  of  the  small  salaries  and  short  terms, 
it  is  very  difficult  to  secure  and  hold  efficient  teach- 
ers. It  must  also  be  acknowledged  that  the  super- 
vision is  generally  very  meagre.  However,  in 
spite  of  these  and  other  drawbacks,  there  is  much 
excellent  work  being  done  in  schools  having  several 
grades  of  pupils  in  the  same  room. 

This  is  not  intended  to  be  an  argument  in  favor 
of  having  schools  classified  as  they  are  in  the  rural 
school,  when  it  is  possible  to  have  a  better  classifica- 
tion; but  it  should  be  remembered  that  there  is  a 
possibility  of  securing  excellent  results  in  such 
schools.  It  is  proper  to  call  attention  to  the  fact 
that  nearly  all  of  our  great  men  were  educated  in 


212  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

rural  schools;  that,  until  comparatively  lately,  even 
the  city  schools  were  not  graded  as  they  are  now; 
that  the  school  of  Pestalozzi  was  not  graded;  that 
even  now  some  rural  schools  are  giving  more  real 
education  than  is  being  given  by  many  strictly 
graded  schools;  that,  in  this  belief,  many  educators 
state  that  they  would  prefer  to  have  their  children 
under  a  good  teacher  in  a  rural  school  rather  than 
under  an  equally  efficient  teacher  working  under 
the  usual  method  of  grading. 

ATTEMPTS  TO  GRADE  THE  UNGRADED  SCHOOL. 

The  attempts  to  grade  the  so-called  ungraded 
school  have  been  efforts  to  reduce  the  number  of 
classes,  by  roughly  grouping  pupils  into  three  or 
more  divisions.  This  consolidation  of  classes  ne- 
cessitated the  placing  of  pupils  of  very  unequal  at- 
tainments in  the  same  class.  In  most  cases,  pupils 
were  from  one  to  three  years  ahead  or  behind  other 
members  of  their  class.  In  no  case  were  the  pupils 
of  about  the  same  ability  held  together  and  re- 
quired to  do  the  same  work. 

In  previous  chapters,  attention  has  been  called 
to  the  fact  that  the  serious  defects  of  the  usual  plan 
of  grading  are  the  direct  result  of  having,  in  the 
same  class,  pupils  of  unequal  advancement  and  abil- 
ity. It  has  already  been  shown  that,  with  very  few 
exceptions,  all  leading  educators  agreed  that  it  re- 


THE  GRADING  OF  THE  UNGRADED  SCHOOL.    213 

suits  in  serious  injury  to  pupils  to  be  classed  with 
those  who  were  even  a  year  in  advance  or  behind 
them.  Nearly  all  expressed  their  belief  that  the 
effect  of  this  system  is  to  "discourage  the  less  ma- 
ture and  sluggish  minds  of  a  class,  while  it  wastes 
the  opportunities  of  the  bright  minds."  How 
much  more  injurious  the  holding  of  pupils  in 
classes  with  those  who  are  two  or  more  years  in  ad- 
vance or  behind  other  members  of  the  class.  Such 
a  plan  is  not  classification  for  the  benefit  of  the  pu- 
pils; it  is  roughly  herding  them,  for  the  supposed 
convenience  of  the  teachers,  and  to  the  everlasting 
injury  of  the  pupils.  It  is  not  differentiating  for 
the  purpose  of  reaching  a  higher  type  of  organiza- 
tion: it  is  the  very  opposite,  and  can  result  only  in 
disorganization.  It  is  not  grading  the  ungraded 
school,  as  many  think:  it  is  making  an  ungraded 
school  out  of  a  many-graded  school.  Pupils  are 
formed  into  classes,  but  they  are  not  classified. 
The  work  may  be  graded  to  classes,  but  it  is  not 
suited  to  the  pupils  in  the  classes.  In  striving  for 
one  of  the  benefits  of  the  one-graded  school,  such  a 
plan  surrenders  the  many  advantages  of  the  many- 
graded  school,  without  securing  the  advantages  of 
the  one-graded  school.  Under  such  a  plan,  the  in- 
struction cannot  be  suited  to  the  needs  of  the  ma- 
jority of  the  pupils.  The  attention  cannot  be  held 
and  concentrated  upon  subjects  which  are  of  little 


214  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

or  no  interest  to  most  of  those  in  the  class.  There 
will  be  no  emulation.  In  short,  there  can  be  but 
little  education,  though,  even  under  the  most  un- 
favorable circumstances,  pupils  will  learn  from 
each  other,  in  spite  of  teachers  and  methods. 

OPINION  OF  THE  COMMITTEE  OF  TWELVE. 

.In  1895  the  National  Educational  Association 
appointed  a  committee  of  twelve  prominent  educa- 
tionists to  make  a  special  study  of  rural  school  prob- 
lems. After  two  years  of  thorough  investigation 
and  study,  this  committee  made  a  report  which 
should  receive  the  careful  attention  of  every  one 
interested  in  the  improvement  of  these  schools,  in 
which  one-half  of  the  teachers  of  the  United  States 
are  engaged.  The  following  quotation  from  this 
report  shows  that  the  evil  effects  of  trying  to  grade 
the  rural  schools  have  been  recognized  by  the  mem- 
bers of  this  important  committee,  and  received 
special  attention  from  the  sub-committee,  which  ar- 
rived at  a  definite  conclusion  on  this  important  sub- 
ject. 

"Your  sub-committee  would  call  special  atten- 
tion at  this  point  to  the  evil  results  that  come  from 
the  attempt  to  remedy  the  defects  of  the  rural 
school  by  forcing  on  it  the  system  of  classification 
found  in  cities.  It  is  assumed  that  some  of  the 
beneiits  of  the  close  grading  possible  in  cities  will 


THE  GRADING  OF  THE  UNGRADED  SCHOOL.    215 

be  gained  for  the  rural  schools  if  they  can  roughly 
group  the  whole  school  into  three  or  four  classes. 
A  rural  school  of  thirty  pupils,  comprising  children 
from  six  to  sixteen  years  of  age,  and  covering  dif- 
ferent degrees  of  progress  from  beginners  up  to 
those  of  eight  or  nine  years  of  schooling,  are 
grouped,  let  us  suppose,  into  four  classes  or  grades 
— thus  leaving  intervals  of  two  or  more  years  of 
school  work  between  a  given  group  and  the  next 
one  above  it. 

"Your  sub-committee  has  already  pointed  out  the 
evils  of  classifying  pupils  in  such  a  way  as  to  bring 
together  pupils  differing  in  degree  of  advancement 
by  intervals  of  two  years.  In  fact,  it  has  been 
found  in  city  schools  that  one  year's  interval  be- 
tween classes  is  too  much.  The  greatest  danger  of 
the  graded  school  system  in  cities  comes  from  hold- 
ing back  bright  pupils  for  the  sake  of  the  slower 
and  duller  pupils.  Next  to  this  is  the  evil  to  the 
dull  ones,  who  are  dragged  forward  at  an  unnatural 
rate  of  progress  to  keep  up  to  the  average  rate  of 
the  class.  The  best  pupils  are  engaged  in  'marking 
time,'*  while  the  slowest  are  constantly  spurred  for- 
ward by  teachers  and  parents  to  keep  with  their 
class,  and  their  school  years  rendered  miserable. 
Their  self-respect  is  undermined  by  a  false  stand 
ard,  that  of  mere  speed  in  learning.  The  'marking 
time'  injures  the  bright  pupil  by  developing  lax 


216  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

habits  of  study,  while  the  forced  marches  of  the 
slow  pupil  tend  to  destroy  his  poise  of  character. 
It  has  been  found  desirable,  therefore,  in  city 
schools  to  make  the  intervals  between  classes 
as  small  as  possible,  so  as  to  favor  frequent 
transfers,  namely,  on  the  one  hand  of  bright 
pupils  who  are  becoming  capable  of  a 
greater  amount  of  work  into  a  higher 
class,  and,  if  necessary,  of  those  who  are  falling  be- 
hind the  average  of  the  class  into  the  next  one  be- 
low. Intervals  of  a  half  year  are,  therefore, 
adopted  in  a  majority  of  the  progressive  city  school 
systems,  and  many  prefer  intervals  of  a  quarter  of 
a  year  where  it  is  practicable  to  make  them,  that 
is,  where  a  large  number  of  pupils  makes  possible 
the  assignment  of  a  requisite  quota  for  each 
class.  *  *  * 

'Tor  these  reasons  classification  as  above  de- 
scribed ought  not  to  be  expected  in  the  rural 
school ;  it  must  remain  ungraded,  and  as  a  result  the 
teacher  must  resort  to  individual  instruction  wher- 
ever there  are  intervals  of  a  year  or  more  in  degrees 
of  advancement  between  pupils;  and  this  is  the  ac- 
tual practice  in  perhaps  the  majority  of  such 
schools.  The  older  pupils,  at  least,  should  have 
separate  grammar,  history  and  arithmetic  les- 
sons. *  *  * 

"The   charge  has  been  made   that  such  rural 


THE  GRADING  OF  THE  UNGRADED  SCHOOL.    217 

schools  as  adopt  a  partial  grading  system  are  apt  to 
become  stiflers  of  talent,  by  placing  a  premium  on 
the  average  scholars  and  holding  back  the  prom- 
ising youth  of  the  district." 

A  PLAN  FOR  THE  RURAL  SCHOOL. 

The  attempt  to  grade  the  rural  school  was  for 
the  purpose  of  reducing  the  number  of  classes,  that 
the  overburdened  teacher  might  be  relieved  and 
enabled  to  give  more  attention  to  each  group  of  pu- 
pils. As  before  pointed  out,  this  desirable  end 
may  be  reached  by  the  consolidation  of  classes  in 
all  subjects,  but  only  at  great  loss  to  the  pupils  in 
other  ways.  What,  then,  can  be  done  to  help  the 
teacher  of  the  so-called  ungraded  school?  Until 
those  at  the  head  see  the  importance  of  raising  sal- 
aries, consolidating  schools,  and  complying  with 
other  most  excellent  suggestions  given  by  the  Com- 
mittee of  Twelve,  the  teacher  by  the  wayside  will 
have  to  seek  for  relief  in  other  directions.  Can  the 
teacher  of  the  many-graded  school  so  arrange  the 
work  as  to  lessen  the  number  of  recitations  without 
grouping  pupils  with  those  markedly  unequal  in 
ability  and  in  attainments?  This  is  the  question 
which  one-half  the  teachers  of  the  United  States 
are  asking  themselves  and  others.  It  would  be 
folly  to  attempt  to  answer  this  question  within  the 
scope  of  a  chapter  or  two.  However,  in  the  hope 


218  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

that  it  may  be  helpful  to  some  of  the  many  teach- 
ers interested  in  this  matter,  a  brief  explanation  is 
given  of  a  plan  which  the  writer  used  and  found 
very  helpful  while  teaching  a  rural  school  some 
years  ago.  Without  doubt,  many  others  have  used 
similar  plans  and  have  found  them  very  valuable. 

In  the  school  referred  to  there  was  an  attendance 
of  from  twenty  to  fifty  pupils  of  all  ages  and 
grades.  So  far  as  possible,  classes  were  formed  of 
those  pupils  able  to  do  about  the  same  grade  of 
work.  Special  care  was  taken  to  grade  closely  in 
reading  in  the  lowest  three  classes.  In  these 
classes  this  branch  was  made  the  primary  basis  of 
classification;  while  in  the  higher  grades  arithmetic 
was  made  the  basis.  In  language,  geography, 
spelling,  history  and  writing,  the  pupils  were  not  so 
closely  classified,  as  in  these  subjects  the  pupils  can 
be  grouped  without  injury. 

In  spite  of  this  grouping,  there  were  more  classes 
than  one  teacher  could  attend  to  properly.  More 
groups  could  not  be  made  without  placing  pupils  of 
greatly  different  attainments  in  the  same  class. 
For  this  reason,  several  of  the  older  pupils  were  ap- 
pointed assistants.  As  there  is  scarcely  a  school 
where  there  are  not  two  or  three  pupils  who  are 
able  to  assist,  and  will  feel  greatly  honored  to  be 
permitted  to  work  under  the  direction  of  the 
teacher,  nearly  all  teachers  can  avail  themselves 


THE  GRADING  OF  THE  UNGRADED  SCHOOL.    219 

of  this  device.  The  pupil  whose  penmanship  was 
the  best  was  selected  to  place  the  written  work  on 
the  blackboard  for  the  several  classes.  The  same 
pupil  assisted  the  younger  pupils  in  their  attempts 
to  learn  to  write.  Another  assistant's  special  work 
was  to  help  the  lowest  three  classes  in  the  prepara- 
tion of  their  reading,  and  to  hear  some  of  the  recita- 
tions in  the  same  branch.  Those  in  these  classes 
recited  twice  each  day:  generally  once  to  the 
teacher  and  once  to  the  assistant.  A  third  assistant 
was  appointed  to  dictate  spelling  and  other  work 
while  the  teacher  was  giving  assistance  where 
needed.  This  assistant  also  tested  classes  in  studies 
which  were  purely  memory  tests,  and  looked  after 
that  part  of  the  work  which  was  mechanical.  All 
the  assistants  gave  help  in  the  marking  of  many  of 
the  test  papers.  The  heating,  lighting  and  ventila- 
ting was  attended  to  by  other  pupils,  who  also  gave 
assistance  in  some  parts  of  the  mechanical  work. 

The  work  was  so  mapped  out  that  two  of  the  as- 
sistants were  busy  most  of  the  time,  either  in  hear- 
ing recitations;  in  helping  backward  pupils  over 
some  difficult  place  in  grammar,  arithmetic,  or 
geography;  or  in  giving  assistance  in  some  one  of 
the  ways  mentioned  above. 

In  reading,  it  was  not  found  necessary  to  have 
more  than  two  or  three  classes  above  the  primary. 

In  arithmetic,  there  were  generally  two  classes 


220  THE  GRADING  OF  SCHOOLS. 

above  the  primary.  The  more  advanced  pupils 
worked  as  individuals,  and,  when  necessary,  re- 
ceived help  from  the  teacher.  For  this  purpose 
one  period  each  day  was  reserved.  In  very  many 
cases,  the  pupils  were  able  to  solve  the  difficulties 
before  the  time  appointed  for  receiving  help  from 
the  teacher.  This  was  better  for  the  teacher  and 
by  far  the  best  for  the  pupil,  who  thus  learned  to 
depend  on  himself. 

In  primary  classes,  the  work  in  language  was 
given  in  connection  with  the  reading.  Above  the 
primary  there  were  two  classes  in  language  and  one 
in  grammar.  In  some  cases  these  classes  recited  on 
alternate  days. 

In  history  and  geography  the  pupils  were  com- 
bined into  two  or  three  classes,  and  the  following 
year  continued  from  where  they  had  stopped  in 
those  branches,  so  that  there  was  no  part  omitted. 

By  making  use  of  some  such  plan  as  that  just 
described,  the  efficient  teacher  of  the  rural  school 
will  be  enabled  to  secure  results  which  will  com- 
pare very  favorably  with  the  best  results  secured  in 
town  and  city  schools. 


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